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The Himachal Pradesh High Court barred recovery of erroneous overpayments from Class-III employees, even when no fault is attributed to them, reinforcing the Supreme Court’s Rafiq Masih ruling. The judgment mandates refund with interest if recovery is delayed, protecting lower-grade employees from financial hardship due to administrative errors.
CAT Allahabad rules that recovery of excess MACP benefits from a Group C employee without establishing fraud, issuing a show-cause notice, or providing a hearing violates natural justice. The tribunal relies on the Supreme Court’s Rafiq Masih precedent, reinforcing that overpayments cannot be reclaimed mechanically, safeguarding retired employees from arbitrary financial setbacks.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court quashed the recovery of Rs. 3.02 lakh from a retired government employee, holding that state circulars prohibit such deductions if retirement is due within one year of the recovery order. This reinforces a strict timeline for departmental recoveries and protects pensioners from arbitrary post-service adjustments, setting a clear precedent for all state employees.