HC notice to MP govt on stopping MISA detainees' pension

The Gwalior bench of Madhya Pradesh High Court on Tuesday served a notice to the state government for suspending the monthly pension of those detained under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) during the Emergency.

A single-judge bench of Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari issued the notice on a petition moved by Loktantrik Senani Sangh (LSS), an organisation of MISA detainees. It sought the government's response in two weeks.

In its plea, the LSS claimed that the pension, given to MISA detainees as per a law passed by the state assembly, was stopped out of malice.

Additional Advocate General Ankur Modi submitted that the pension hadn't been stopped but had been put on hold to investigate if it was being given to eligible persons.

Modi said the government's move came after it received complaints that several ineligible persons were receiving the pension.

On December 29 last year, a Madhya Pradesh government order directed officials to carry out physical verification of former MISA detainees and to withhold the monthly pension of Rs 25,000 until completion of the exercise.

The MISA pension costs the state more than Rs 68 crore annually, according to government sources.

During the Emergency imposed by the then prime minister Indira Gandhi-led Congress government between 1975 and 1977, thousands were detained across the country under MISA.

The pension scheme -- Loknayak Jayprakash Samman Nidhi, was started by the then Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led BJP government in 2008. It was turned into a law last year.