Do not deny pension if persons with learning difficulties fail to complete mustering: Human Rights Commission

Thiruvananthapuram: The Human Rights Commission has directed that pensions should not be withheld from persons with learning difficulties even if they are unable to cooperate with the mandatory mustering process.

Commission chairperson Justice Alexander Thomas said panchayat secretaries must take a humane approach and ensure that such beneficiaries continue to receive pensions without interruption.

In its order, the Commission noted that annual mustering is conducted to verify that the beneficiary is alive. However, if a person is unable to comply due to mental health conditions, the panchayat secretary should, if required, visit the beneficiary’s residence to confirm their status.

The directive came in response to a complaint filed by a 72-year-old woman from Ponpara in Vithura, regarding her son who has been living with mental illness for the past 26 years. The complaint stated that the family depends on his monthly pension of ₹1,600, but payments had been stopped for eight months as he refused to provide biometric verification during mustering.

The Commission instructed the Tholikkode grama panchayat secretary to take urgent steps. The secretary later informed the Commission that the pension had been restored and updated on the service pension portal.

The Commission further directed that similar issues in the future should be resolved in a timely manner to ensure uninterrupted pension disbursal. It also said that, if needed, the Joint Director of Panchayats should provide guidance to the secretary on resolving such cases.