Two judge bench rejects petition urging concessions to elderly in railway travels, withdrawn during Covid 19 times
The senior citizens of the country who were before Covid 19 era fully entitled for concessions in railway ticket getting 50% concession etc will now not be able to avail the earlier facility which was curtailed during the dreaded epidemic times probably in 2019 sending a setback message to those who desperately need it – usually travelling by trains above the age of sixty and from not so good financial background.
However, the Court observed that govt should take the matter into consideration to provide relief to senior citizens weighing the fiscal situation, repercussions and need of the senior citizens.
According to Supreme Court order issued on Friday the two judge bench consisting of justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Ahsannudin Amanullah – the petition demanding concessions by ministry of Railways to senior citizens stands revoked as the bench observed that ” In view of the aforesaid reasons and the matter involving a fiscal issue , it won’t be appropriate for this Court to issue a Writ of the nation the petitioner seeks under Article 32 of the Constitution. It is for the government to take the call on the policy decision, keeping in minds the needs of the senior citizens and the fiscal repercussions . Dismissed with the aforesaid directions.
It may be recalled that when the central government had withdrawn the railway concessions to senior citizens who constitute ten percent of the population there was lot of hue and cry in the country with senior citizens thinking that after the 19 epidemic comes to halt the government may reconsider the decision, but it did not happen and a petitioner has to approach the honourable APEX Court to seek relief but it was finally quashed dashing the optimism of senior citizens who were earlier entitled for Railway concessions in ticket fare etc.
It is not that the senior citizens are only given concessions in India in Railways and other sectors but world over. However, the railway concessions given to senior citizens earlier now cancelled since Covid times in 2019 by government and apex Court throwing the ball in the court of the government again, the responsibility to restart the concessions in Railway lies on the shoulders of the present BJP government. But what happens next is anybody’s guess as the central Railways had already snatched this confessional facility from senior citizens of the country.
According to the latest news the petitioner argued with the honourable two judge bench during the hearing saying that being a welfare state the concessions given to elders before epidemic times in 2019, needs to be revived to which the judge said that he agrees to this logic of the petitioner but since these aspects are state policy decisions there is also a need to constantly monitor these rights though we may feel that concessions may be granted as article 21 of the Constitution , Rights to life and personnel Liberty grant concessions n protection to senior citizens. This point was, argued very well during the hearing but of no avail.
Let’s hope that good sense prevails on the GOI and they consider Supreme Court’s advise seriously and sympathetically.
