Meghalaya High Court rules defence employees cannot claim pension after voluntary resignation

The Meghalaya High Court has ruled that defence employees who voluntarily resign from service cannot claim pension for past service. The ruling came during a hearing on a case filed by a former rifleman of the <b>Assam Rifles</b> who sought discharge after <b>13 years</b> of service. The court stated that the voluntary discharge process entails the forfeiture of past service benefits. According to the court order, voluntary resignation makes the employee ineligible to receive any pension benefits for the duration of their past completed service. While denying the pension claim, the court directed authorities to release <b>₹5,656</b> to his IRLA account and <b>₹53,642</b> to his GPF account. The legal matter was reviewed by the High Court based on the relevant service rules governing voluntary discharges.