No Pension Without Enabling Rule: Allahabad High Court Rejects Retirement Benefits Claim Of Self-Financed Institute Employee The Allahabad High Court has dismissed a petition filed by a retired employee of the Institute of Correspondence Courses and Continuing Education (ICC&CE), a self-financed unit of the University of Allahabad, seeking post-retirement benefits. The court ruled that pension and other retirement entitlements cannot be granted unless explicitly provided for by a statutory rule or scheme. It emphasized that the doctrine of “negative equality” cannot be used to extend benefits simply because some employees received them, even if the reasoning was flawed. The petitioner, Rekha Singh, had previously served as an Assistant Director/Director at the ICC&CE and retired in 2017. After her retirement, she approached the court seeking payment of salary from November 2014 to her retirement date, which was initially granted in 2018. The decision was later upheld by the Supreme Court when the university challenged it. However, Singh later sought additional benefits, including pension, gratuity, and provident fund entitlements. The university rejected her claim, arguing that the ICC&CE was a temporary, self-financing institution and that its employees were hired on a contractual basis without provisions for post-retirement benefits. Singh argued that the ICC&CE was an integral part of the university and that its employees were effectively under the university’s administrative control. She also cited Section 5(d) of the University of Allahabad Act, 2005, which she claimed protected the service conditions of employees when the university transitioned from a state to a central institution.#supreme_court #allahabad_high_court #rekha_singh #university_of_allahabad #icc_ce
Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi Discloses Over ₹2,800 Crore Assets, Income Exceeding ₹1,500 Crore in Last Five Years Congress Rajya Sabha candidate and senior Supreme Court advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi has disclosed assets worth over ₹2,860.36 crore jointly held with his wife in his election affidavit for the Rajya Sabha polls from Telangana, as reported by The New Indian Express. The document, filed as part of the electoral process, outlines his financial disclosures for the past five years. According to the affidavit, Singhvi's total income during the five-year period surpassed ₹1,516 crore. This includes annual earnings of over ₹374 crore in 2024–25, ₹333 crore in 2023–24, ₹359 crore in 2022–23, ₹290 crore in 2021–22, and ₹158 crore in 2020–21. The figures highlight a significant increase in his declared income over the past decade. The affidavit also mentions that Singhvi owns artworks and paintings valued at more than ₹25 crore. These disclosures are part of the mandatory financial declarations required for candidates contesting elections in India. The data provides insight into the financial standing of prominent political figures and their assets, which are subject to public scrutiny under electoral laws. The information was shared by The New Indian Express, which reported on the details of Singhvi's financial disclosures. Such declarations are typically made to ensure transparency and compliance with electoral regulations, though they do not necessarily reflect the candidate's net worth or personal wealth. The details remain part of the public record and are accessible to voters and electoral authorities.#abhishek_manu_singhvi #the_new_indian_express #rajya_sabha #telangana #supreme_court
