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Kerala High Court
Rajendran P vs State Of Kerala on 20 January, 2026
WP(C) NO. 43783 OF 2023 1
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IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM
PRESENT
THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE MOHAMMED NIAS C.P.
TUESDAY, THE 20TH DAY OF JANUARY 2026 / 30TH POUSHA, 1947
WP(C) NO. 43783 OF 2023
PETITIONERS:
1 RAJENDRAN P
AGED 66 YEARS
S/O BHASKARA MENON, LAKSHMI, LILLY GARDENS,
CHENAKKALA, HMT COLONY PO, KALAMASSERY,
PIN - 683503
2 K G MUKUNDANPILLAI
AGED 63 YEARS
S/O A.GOPINATH PILLAI, POTHANNOOR SMRITHI,
THAZHAKARA P.O, MAVELIKARA, ALAPPUZHA,
PIN - 690102
3 PREETHY A.M
AGED 62 YEARS
W/O N.N. RAMAN NENMINI, 160, JAWARHAR NAGAR,
KADAVANTHARA, KOCHI, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682020
4 TK RAJGOPAL,
AGED 63 YEARS
S/O PG KRISHNA PANICKER, PRANAVAM, MANNAR PO,
ALAPPUZHA, PIN - 689622
5 JOLAMMA GEORGE
AGED 64 YEARS
W/O GEORGE PHILIP, ADIMATHRA HOUSE,
MARIYATHURUTHU PO, KOTTAYAM, PIN - 686017
6 S D VENUKUMAR
AGED 64 YEARS
S/O DAMODARA PANICKER, SREEMANGALATH, KALLISSERY
PO, CHENGANNUR ALAPPUZHA, PIN - 689124
7 SALAHUDDIN E
AGED 63 YEARS
S/O M ESMAIL KUTTY, SADR, ALIYA GARDENS,
PANCHIKKAL, AYYANTHOLE, THRISSUR, PIN - 680003
WP(C) NO. 43783 OF 2023 2
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BY ADVS.
SRI.V.V.NANDAGOPAL NAMBIAR
SMT.SMITHA (EZHUPUNNA)
SMT.PREEJA. P.VIJAYAN
SMT.CHITRA JOHNSON
RESPONDENTS:
1 STATE OF KERALA
REPRESENTED BY ITS CHIEF SECRETARY, GOVERNMENT
SECRETARIAT, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, PIN - 695001
2 THE SECRETARY
INFORMATION AND PUBLIC RELATION (H) DEPARTMENT
GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT,
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, PIN - 695001
3 THE DIRECTOR
JOURNALIST PENSION (H) DEPARTMENT. INFORMATION
AND PUBLIC RELATION (H) DEPARTMENT, GOVERNMENT
SECRETARIAT, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, PIN - 695001
OTHER PRESENT:
SRI. P.S. APPU, GP.
THIS WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) HAVING COME UP FOR
ADMISSION ON 20.01.2026, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY
DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING:
WP(C) NO. 43783 OF 2023 3
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JUDGMENT
The prayer sought in the writ petition is to
disburse the pension arrears due to the petitioners as per Ext.P1,
the Kerala State Working Journalist Pension Scheme 1993.
2. It is submitted that an amount of Rs.4,00,000/- (Rupees
four lakhs only) is payable as pension arrears from February 2017
to June 2020 to the 1st petitioner, while an amount of Rs.1,30,000/-
(Rupees one lakh thirty thousand only) for a period of 13 months is
due to the 2nd petitioner. As regards the 3rd petitioner, it is
contended that an amount of Rs.1,57,000/- (Rupees one lakh fifty
seven thousand only) for a period of 15 months from June 2021 to
August 2022 is in arrears. As regards the 4 th petitioner, an amount
of Rs.1,00,000/- (Rupees one lakhs only) is due for a period of 10
months from June 2020 to March 2021. As regards the 5 th
petitioner, an amount of Rs.1,40,000/- (Rupees forty thousand
only) for a period of 14 months from June 2019 to July 2020 is in
arrears. As regards the 6th petitioner, an amount of Rs.1,90,000/-
(Rupees one lakh ninety thousand only) is due. An amount of
Rs.3,10,000/- (Rupees three lakh ten thousand only) is due to the 7 th
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petitioner.
3. The learned counsel for the petitioners submits that,
as per proceedings dated 10.10.2025, an amount of Rupees twenty
crore was allotted to the Public Relations Department for paying
the arrears of pension due to the journalists and non-journalists.
4. A statement has been filed on behalf of the 2 nd
respondent contending that no media house has given any
donation to the pension scheme as envisaged in the rules and that
the department receives only a very nominal amount as member's
contribution and the Government has to pay about a very huge
amount of Rs.1.87 Crore as a monthly pension, like a statutory
pension for journalists and non-journalists, even though the
monthly subscription for non journalist members is Rs.250/- and
that of the journalist is Rs.500/- Accordingly, it is stated that the
arrears can be paid only in a phased manner in accordance with
the seniority list.
5. The liability /eligibility of the petitioners to receive
the pension under the scheme is not in dispute. There is no contest
on the quantum of arrears payable either. Taking note of the
above, there will be a direction to respondents 2 and 3 to disburse
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the amounts due to the petitioners in six equal monthly
instalments starting from 10.02.2026.
The writ petition is allowed as above.
Sd/-
MOHAMMED NIAS C.P.
JUDGE
Anu
WP(C) NO. 43783 OF 2023 6
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APPENDIX OF WP(C) NO. 43783 OF 2023
PETITIONER EXHIBITS
Exhibit P1 TRUE COPY OF THE KERALA STATE WORKING
JOURNALIST PENSION SCHEME 1993
Exhibit P2 TRUE COPY OF THE PENSION SANCTION ORDER
NO: H1/102/2019/I& PRD DATED 23.06.2020
Exhibit P3 TRUE COPY OF THE PENSION SANCTION ORDER
NO: H1/8/2021/I& PRD DATED 26.04.2021
Exhibit P4 TRUE COPY OF THE PENSION SANCTION ORDER
NO: H1/227/2021/I& PRD DATED 2.09.2022
Exhibit P5 TRUE COPY OF THE PENSION SANCTION ORDER
NO: H1/130/2020/I& PRD DATED 11.01.2021
Exhibit P6 TRUE COPY OF THE PENSION SANCTION ORDER
NO: 46/H1/2020/I& PRD DATED 05.08.2020
Exhibit P7 TRUE COPY OF THE PENSION SANCTION ORDER
NO: H1/215/2020/I& PRD DATED 12.01.2021
Exhibit P8 TRUE COPY OF THE PENSION SANCTION ORDER
NO: H1/30/2019/I& PRD DATED 11.11.2021
Exhibit P9 A TRUE COPY OF THE REPRESENTATION DATED
NIL
Exhibit P10 A TRUE COPY OF THE REPRESENTATION OF
2ND PETITIONER DATED 08.12.2023
Exhibit P11 A TRUE COPY OF THE REPRESENTATION OF
THE 3RD PETITIONER DATED 18.12.2023
Exhibit P12 A TRUE COPY OF THE REPRESENTATION OF
4TH PETITIONER TO THE 1ST RESPONDENT
DATED 18.12.2023
Exhibit P13 A TRUE COPY OF THE REPRESENTATION OF
THE 5TH PETITIONER DATED 12.12.2023
Exhibit P14 A TRUE COPY OF THE REPRESENTATION OF
6TH PETITIONER TO THE 3RD RESPONDENT
DATED NIL
Exhibit P15 A TRUE COPY OF THE REPRESENTATION OF
7TH PETITIONER TO THE 3RD RESPONDENT
DATED 24.11.2023
Exhibit P16 TRUE COPY OF THE JUDGMENT DATED
25.10.2023 IN WPC NO: 22231/2022
