Telangana HC Warns State Over Delay in Extending Old Pension Scheme to Retired Judicial Staff

April 17, 2026 : The Telangana High Court has taken serious note of the state government’s alleged delay in implementing its earlier directions on granting the benefit of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) to retired judicial employees.

The court was hearing contempt petitions filed by 65 retired employees from various courts across the state, who claimed that the authorities had failed to comply with the High Court’s prior order extending OPS benefits to them.

A division bench comprising Justice P Sam Koshy and Justice Nandikonda Narsing Rao on Thursday directed the state’s finance secretary and law secretary to ensure compliance with its earlier orders by June 10. The bench made it clear that failure to act within the stipulated time would invite contempt proceedings against the concerned officials.

The petitioners, who were directly recruited in 2004, argued that administrative delays led to the issuance of their appointment orders only in 2005. As a result, they were denied the benefits of the Old Pension Scheme and the General Provident Fund, since the new pension regime had come into effect by then.

Challenging this disparity, the employees had earlier approached the High Court, which in a common order passed in March 2025 directed the state government to extend OPS benefits to them. The court had also instructed the authorities to carry out a one-time exercise to collect options from all similarly placed employees and complete the process within three months.

With no meaningful progress made despite these directions, the affected employees initiated contempt proceedings, prompting the court’s latest warning to the state government.