Admonishing the state of Punjab for compelling an octogenarian to run “from pillar to post” to secure his rightful dues, the Punjab and Haryana High Court (HC) has directed that four government and bank officials shall not draw their salaries without its prior permission.The order will remain in force until the functionaries “collectively take effective steps to resolve the issue relating to payment of arrears of pension to the petitioner”, Justice Kuldeep Tiwari ordered.The directions came on a petition filed by Jagdish Raj Arora seeking the release of pension arrears payable since 2007 “in respect of his deceased wife, Sudarshan Kumari, who retired as Block Primary Education Officer, Gurdaspur”.Appearing on behalf of the petitioner, senior advocate G.S. Bal, along with counsel Laxman Choudhary, contended that the arrears had remained unpaid “since 2007”, despite the petitioner having made “all possible and earnest efforts” for their release.Bal added that the pension disbursing authority and the disbursing agency had been passing the buck, with the result that the arrears had not been released till date.Referring to the replies filed in the matter, Justice Tiwari noted that the petitioner’s entitlement to the arrears was not disputed, even though the authorities concerned continued to take conflicting stands over their release.The Court further noted that the reply filed on behalf of the state, the Director of Elementary Education and the Gurdaspur District Education Officer (Elementary) stated that the Punjab Accountant-General had issued a letter dated September 24, 2012, to the Gurdaspur District Treasury Officer.However, the letter was “not implemented” by the respondent, Bank of India. The specific stand was that the petitioner’s claim could be redressed only by the respondent bank.The bank, on the other hand, took a different stand. In its reply, it stated that the disbursing agency/bank was unable to release the pension arrears in the petitioner’s favour owing to certain non-compliance on the part of the Gurdaspur District Treasury Officer.After hearing the rival contentions, Justice Tiwari observed: “The petitioner, who is in the twilight of his life, has unfortunately been compelled to run from pillar to post for securing his rightful due. The continued hardship suffered by the petitioner is attributable to the lackadaisical and indolent approach adopted by the authorities concerned. Significantly, the respondents have, till date, failed to satisfy this Court as to any legal impediment preventing release of the arrears of pension to the petitioner.”Justice Tiwari added that the Court was constrained to take strict measures against the respondents, “whose collective failure to resolve the matter has resulted in the petitioner continuing to suffer till date”.Before parting with the order, the Court directed the Secretaries of the School Education and Finance Departments to ensure that the Gurdaspur District Education Officer (Elementary) and the District Treasury Officer, Gurdaspur, would not draw their salaries without the Court’s prior permission.“Likewise, the Deputy General Manager (DGM), Bank of India, is directed to ensure that respondent-Senior Manager, Bank of India, Branch District Shopping Complex, Ranjit Avenue, Amritsar, and respondent-Branch Manager, Bank of India, Gurdaspur, shall also not draw their salaries without prior permission of this Court,” the Bench added.The case has been listed for November 26 “to await further progress in the matter”.