Clear all OROP dues by Feb 28: Supreme Court directs Centre

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday directed the government to clear the dues of 10-11 lakh pensioners under OROP scheme by February 28, 2024, in three equal instalments.

The top court instructed the government to pay OROP dues to retired servicemen aged 70 and above in one or more instalments by June 30, 2023, and clear pending OROP arrears to six lakh family pensioners and gallantry award winners by April 30.

The SC also made it clear that the payment of the dues "will not affect further equalisation of pension of ex-servicemen to be done in 2024".

The apex court made these remarks while hearing the Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement's (IESM) plea over the payment of OROP arrears to ex-service personnel.

Refusing to accept the sealed cover note submitted by the central government in the OROP arrears case, Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud Monday said: "I am personally averse to sealed covers. There has to be transparency in court… This is about implementing orders. What can be secret here?"

Mentioning that the practice of submitting notes in sealed covers should end, a bench of CJI D Y Chandrachud and Justices P S Narasimha and J B Pardiwala stated that it was "fundamentally contrary to the basic process of fair justice."

The top court had, on March 13, taken exception to the Defence ministry issuing a communication (on January 20) stating that the OROP arrears would be paid in four half-yearly instalments. The court had then asked the government to withdraw the communication.

"The Defence ministry cannot take the law in its hand…Withdraw the communication of January 20 which is directly contrary to our order… or will ask the secretary defence to present himself in court," Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud presiding over a three-judge bench told Attorney General R Venkataramani.