Pension Not Payable If Employee Fails to Exercise Mandatory Option Under 1984 Model Pension Rules Adopted by Municipality: Calcutta High Court

The Calcutta High Court delivered an important judgment clarifying pension entitlement of municipal employees under West Bengal Municipal (Employees' Death cum Retirement Benefits) Rules, 2003 and Model Pension Rules 1984. The Court held that an employee cannot claim pension if he failed to exercise the mandatory option required under the earlier applicable rules. Background of employment and service details The appellant Sk. Golam Kibria was employed as a Burial Ground…