The Central Government pension rules for minimum pension are 10 years of qualifying service. For full pension, 33 years of qualifying service are required. Special provisions for pensions to MLAs and MPs stipulate pensions even for a day as politicians. Pension is calculated based on the number of years served as an elected member. These beneficial rules are made by themselves. Employees earlier had to contribute a certain percentage of their basic salary, with an equivalent amount contributed by the employer. Presently, the amount of pension is determined by the contribution of the employee only, without a matching grant, and is invested into a special pension fund. The representatives contribute nothing at all towards their pensions. Employees work for a minimum of 6 to 8 hours per day, whereas representatives hardly work for 10 to 20 days in a year for sessions starting in the evenings. Besides, they are eligible for TA, DA, and highly subsidised food. Often, after logging their presence, they watch the proceedings from their offices or disappear thereafter. Few of them receive multiple pensions as MLAs, MPs, freedom fighters, and also service pensions. Is more than one pension legal? The laws of pension need to be uniform for all, and pensions to representatives must be in line with general rules. To favour party functionaries, they are nominated or elected as MLAs, etc., to be eligible for lifelong pensionary benefits as a reward.
