CHENNAI: The Madras High Court directed the Tamil Nadu government to file its response within eight weeks on a writ petition seeking a direction to frame the necessary rules and operational guidelines for implementing the Tamil Nadu Assured Pension Scheme (TAPS).
Justice PT Asha issued the direction while hearing a petition filed by R Nandagopal, State Coordinator of the Tamil Nadu Old Pension Scheme Retrieval Movement, along with three district coordinators.
In the petition, the petitioners stated that they were seeking the framing of necessary rules and operational guidelines within a timeframe for the Tamil Nadu Assured Pension Scheme that the State government had announced in January 2026.
The petitioners contended that, under the assured pension scheme, those who had entered service after the introduction of the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) and retired prior to 2026 are entitled to receive special compassionate pension under the new scheme.
According to them, pensionary benefits are welfare legislation meant only to eke out a livelihood for retired government servants who depended on government salary until the date of their retirement and are subsequently left with no source of income for sustenance of life.
However, it was submitted, no rules or operational guidelines have been framed thus far to implement the scheme. In the absence of such rules, the petitioners would be unable to avail themselves of the benefits of special compassionate pension. Citing this, they sought a direction to the State to frame the necessary rules and operational guidelines within a specified timeframe.
After issuing the direction, the court adjourned the further hearing of the case.