Satish Chander Sharma vs The State Of Himachal Pradesh

The Supreme Court examined whether retired employees of the Himachal Pradesh State Forest Development Corporation Limited are entitled to pension benefits under the 1999 scheme, despite its discontinuation in 2004. The court analyzed the scheme's provisions and the rights of employees who had opted for it prior to discontinuation. It held that such employees are entitled to pension benefits, counting their service from the date of joining until superannuation, aligning with similarly situated employees. The judgment emphasizes the protection of pension rights accrued under existing schemes.