Jharkhand High Court Quashes Order to Reduce Retired Assistant Engineer Shyam Nath Dubey’s Pension by 10%

Brief By Newsbrief / 5:53 PM on 18 Jan 2026

The Jharkhand High Court has set aside the state government’s order to impose a lifelong 10% cut on the pension of retired Assistant Engineer Shyam Nath Dubey. The court found that the departmental action violated the principles of natural justice, as the charges were based solely on attached documents and no witness was produced.The High Court stated that a proper inquiry and hearing are mandatory before reducing any government employee’s pension rights. It also clarified that the concerned party must be given an opportunity to prove or disprove the allegations, which was ignored in this case.The court directed the state government to promptly release all pending benefits to Dubey, including gratuity and pension. The High Court further emphasized that the government must follow rules and avoid arbitrary actions when taking such decisions in the future.This verdict strengthens the protection of pension rights for government employees and underscores the need for transparency in departmental proceedings. The court made it clear that judicial process must be followed in government orders.