Supreme Court directs Centre to clear all OROP arrears by Feb 28 next year

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Centre to clear all One Rank One Pension arrears totalling Rs 28,000 crore for ex-servicemen by February 28 next year, saying the government is duty-bound to comply with its 2022 judgement on the matter. A bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud took note of the financial difficulties pointed out by the Centre in paying the entire Rs 28,000 crore OROP dues in one go, and laid down the schedule to the Ministry of Defence to pay the arrears to the ex-servicemen, categorised under several heads. During the hearing, it also took strong note of the Centre's sealed cover report giving details on the payment of the OROP dues to retired military personnel, saying it wanted to “put an end to this sealed cover procedure” which is “fundamentally contrary to the basic principle of fair process in a court of law”. “We want to put an end to this sealed cover procedure which is being followed by the Supreme Court because the high courts will follow it and this is fundamentally contrary to the basic principle of fair process in a court of law,” the bench observed at the outset, and said it was not averse to considering the financial difficulties as pointed out by the Centre in paying the entire amount in one go. The OROP dues for 10-11 lakh remaining pensioners shall be paid in three equal instalments by February 28 next year, the bench said, making it clear that the payment of the dues "will not affect further equalisation of pension of ex-servicemen to be done in 2024".