After Supreme Court's rap to defence ministry over delayed OROP payments, the government has instructed Controller General Defence Accounts (CGDA) to release all the pending OROP arrears in one single installement to the ex-servicemen by March 15.
The ministry had earlier decided to clear pending arrears of OROP to eligible pensioners in four yearly installments which was challenged by a group of ex-servicemen.
Taking up the matter and observing that the sanctity of the judicial process has to be maintained, a bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud asked the Ministry to "set its house in order".
"We gave you an extension till March 15 for payment of arrears. Now in the face of our orders of January 9, how can you issue a communication that you will pay the amount in four equal installments? Why shouldn't we proceed against your secretary? In the face of our order, how can you pass an order by an administrative circular extending time..." the Supreme Court said.
"You tell your secretary that we are going to take action against him for issuing that communication. The sanctity of the judicial process has to be maintained. Either the secretary withdraws it, or we are going to issue a contempt notice to the Ministry of Defense and that will be very serious," the bench said.
"We have fixed March 15 and you had no business to say that the money will be paid in installments. Here you are not fighting a war. Here you are fighting against the rule of law. Set your house in order. This is not the way the ministry of defence to go about it," the bench observed.
(With inputs from PTI)
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