$~4 (03.03.2026)

* IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI Date of Decision: 25^th April, 2026.

+ W.P.(C) 213/2020 SITARAM AGGARWAL .....Petitioner Through: Mr. R. Vasudevan, Mr. N.C Gupta, Advocates with Petitioner in person.

versus PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK AND ANR. .....Respondents Through: Mr. Rajesh Kumar Gautam, Mr.

Anant Gautam, Mr. Deepanjal Choudhary, Ms. Azal Aekram, Mr.

Aman Gahlot, Advocates.

CORAM:

HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SANJEEV NARULA

JUDGMENT

SANJEEV NARULA, J. (Oral):

[As per to Notification No. 64/G-4/Gen1.-I/DHC dated 27^th February, 2026, matters listed on 3^rd March, 2026 (on account of “Holi”), are to be taken up on 25^th April, 2026.”]

1. The Petitioner, a former officer of Punjab National Bank [“PNB”], seeks a direction that he be treated as a pension optee under the Punjab National Bank (Employees’) Pension Regulations, 1995 [“1995 Regulations”]. The Petitioner states that he had opted for pension on 30^th September, 1994 when PNB first invited options under its proposed pension scheme, and that PNB did not act upon that option. PNB disputes the claim and contends that the Petitioner did not exercise a valid option under the

1995 Regulations, that he was compulsorily retired on 31