The government is planning to amend the 145-year-old Pensions Act, 1871 which provides shield to the pensioners against attachment of pension. Under the old law, no pension granted or continued by government on political considerations, or on account of past services, present infirmities or as a compassionate allowance, and no money due on account of any such pension or allowance, shall be liable to seizure, attachment or sequestration by process of any court at the instance of a creditor, for any demand against the pensioner, or in satisfaction of a decree or order of any such court.
Recently, a meeting was called by Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions to discuss and obtain views of select ministries on the proposal to amend the rules regulating various types of pension administered by them to ensure continuance of shield as provided under the 1871 Act.
During the meeting, the representative from Department of Financial Services (DFS) had suggested that instead of amending a large number of Acts and rules to secure those pensions against attachment, the existing Pensions Act, 1871 may be amended to cancel only those provisions in the Act which have since become irrelevant or redundant. The proposal was supported by representatives of ministries of Home, Labour, Rural Development, Defence, Ministry of Railways and Department of Personnel and Training. It was then decided that this suggestion will be placed before the competent authority for taking a decision in the matter.