C.S. Rajan, J.

The petitioner is a retired judge of this Court. His career as a judge of this Court has been described as "one long glorious straight line". The petitioner is the third retired High Court Judge who had approached this Court for settling pensionary claims in the recent years. The petitioner's pension and allied matters are governed by the High Court Judges (Conditions of service) Act, 1954 (hereinafter referred to as 'the act. ). Following the provisions of the Act the petitioner was granted a pension of Rs. 16,000/- per annum evidenced by Ext. P1. There was a revision of pension payable to the High Court Judges who retired before 1.11.1986. The petitioner retired on 19,12.1983. Consequent on the revision of the pension, -the basic pension of the petitioner was fixed at Rs. 2,191/-per mensem. In 1991 the pension was again revised to Rs. 3,144/-per mensem. In addition to the basic pension, the petitioner is also receiving dearness relief on pension according to the rates in force from time to lime. The present rate of dearness relief as on the date of the filing of the Original Petition, is contained in Ext. P2 dated 7.4.1995. In accordance with Ext. P2, th