“DEATH-CUM-RETIREMENT GRATUITY FOR TEACHERS: SUPREME COURT CLARIFIES APPLICABILITY OF MAHARASHTRA PENSION RULES”

AUTHOR – DR. VANDITA CHAHAR, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF LAW, JAIPUR NATIONAL UNIVERSITY

BEST CITATION – DR. VANDITA CHAHAR, “DEATH-CUM-RETIREMENT GRATUITY FOR TEACHERS: SUPREME COURT CLARIFIES APPLICABILITY OF MAHARASHTRA PENSION RULES”, INDIAN JOURNAL OF LEGAL REVIEW (IJLR), 5 (11) OF 2025, PG. 57-63, APIS – 3920 – 0001 & ISSN – 2583-2344.

Case Title: Vikram Bhalchandra Ghongade vs. The Headmistress Girls High School and Junior College & Ors.

Citation: 2025 INSC 824
Special Leave Petition (C) No.: 19436 of 2024
Court: Supreme Court of India
Judges: Hon’ble Mr. Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia & Hon’ble Mr. Justice K. Vinod Chandran
Date of Judgment: 14th July 2025

Introduction

Gratuity, as a form of terminal benefit, occupies a central place in India’s social-welfare jurisprudence. It represents not merely deferred wages but also a recognition of an employee’s long-standing contribution to an institution. The statutory foundation of this right is primarily found in the Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972 (PGA), a central legislation intended to secure minimum uniform benefits across industries and establishments. Yet, the multiplicity of employment regimes in India, especially in the education sector, has led to significant interpretive conflicts between central legislation and state-specific service rules.