THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a crucial intervention, Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan has directed the General Education Department to immediately withdraw the suspension of Attingal Model Higher Secondary School Principal, S. Jawad. The Principal had been suspended over a Facebook post that allegedly insulted the Chief Minister.
The suspension order was issued yesterday by the Director of General Education based on a third-party complaint. Notably, neither the Chief Minister nor his office had registered any complaint regarding the social media post. Considering that the teacher had only two days left to officially retire from service, CM Satheesan intervened to revoke the punitive action on humanitarian grounds.
How the Suspension Would Have Frozen Retirement Benefits
According to the Kerala Service Rules (KSR), if a government employee is under suspension at the time of retirement—even if it is just two days before the official date—it drastically affects their immediate financial security.
Provisional Pension Only: Until the disciplinary proceedings or inquiries are officially closed, the employee is barred from receiving a full pension. They are only eligible for a ‘Provisional Pension’, which matches the minimum basic pension amount.
Withholding of Gratuity (DCRG): The Death-cum-Retirement Gratuity (DCRG) is completely withheld until the final investigation report clears the employee of any financial liabilities toward the government.
No Commutation Allowed: Employees facing suspension or disciplinary actions lose the privilege of commuting their pension (receiving a lump-sum advance against their pension).
With the Chief Minister ordering the immediate revocation of the suspension, the Principal will now be able to retire smoothly with all his hard-earned pensionary and gratuity benefits intact.
