IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH

214 Date of decision: 20.08.2025 1. CWP-27198-2015 (O&M) Vijay Kumar Kapil and others ....Petitioners Versus State of Punjab and others ....Respondents

2. CWP-27211-2015 (O&M)

Sukhjeet Singh Chahal and others ....Petitioners Versus State of Punjab and others ....Respondents

3. CWP-27402-2015 (O&M)

Subash Chander Kochhar and others ....Petitioners Versus Registrar, Cooperative Societies and others ....Respondents

4. CWP-1584-2016 (O&M)

Puran Lal and others ....Petitioners Versus Registrar, Cooperative Societies and others ....Respondents

5. CWP-4465-2016 (O&M)

Sewa Singh and others ....Petitioners Versus Registrar, Cooperative Societies and others ....Respondents

6. CWP-8024-2016 (O&M)

Padam Parkash Jain and another ....Petitioners Versus State of Punjab and others ....Respondents

7. CWP-10044-2016 (O&M)

Rakesh Kumar and others ....Petitioners Versus State of Punjab and others ....Respondents

8. CWP-11301-2016 (O&M)

Iqbal Singh ....Petitioner Versus State of Punjab and others ....Respondents

9. CWP-11684-2016 (O&M)

Shimla Rani ....Petitioner Versus State of Punjab and others ....Respondents

10. COCP-683-2016 (O&M)

Subhash Chander Kochhar and another ....Petitioners Versus Gurbir Singh Mangat and another ....Respondents

11. COCP-663-2016 (O&M) Vijay Kumar Kapil and others ....Petitioners Versus S R C Gavri ....Respondent

12. CWP-69-2018 (O&M)

Amanjit Singh ....Petitioner Versus State of Punjab and others ....Respondents

13. CWP-11363-2016 (O&M)

Paramjit Singh Chinna ....Petitioner Versus State of Punjab and others ....Respondents CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE HARPREET SINGH BRAR Present: Mr. D.V. Sharma, Senior Advocate with Mr. Tushar Sharma, Advocate for the petitioner in CWP-27198-2025.

Mr. Ashish Gupta, Advocate for Mr. Virender K. Shukla, Advocate for the petitioner(s) in CWP-27198-2015, CWP-11684-2016 and CWP-663-2016.

Mr. Dinesh Kumar, Advocate and Mr. Arvind Galav, Advocate for the petitioner(s) in CWP-27211-2015, CWP-8024-2016, CWP-10044-2016 and CWP-11301-2016.

Mr. Tahaf Bains, Advocate for the petitioner in CWP-1584-2016.

Mr. Kulbir Singh Sekhon, Advocate for the petitioner in CWP-69-2018. Mr. Akshay Bhan, Senior Advocate and Mr. A.S. Rawaley, Advocate for respondent No.3-Bank.

Mr. Ashwani Prashar, Advocate for respondent No.4-Trust (in all cases).

Mr. Naginder Singh Vashist, Advocate for respondents No.6, 7, 9 to 11 in CWP-27198-2015 for respondents No.6 to 9 in CWP-27211-2015 for respondents No.4 to 6 in CWP-27402-2015 and CWP-4465-2016 for respondent No.7 in CWP-8024-2016 for respondent No.6 in CWP-10044-2016 for respondent No.6 in CWP-11301-2016 for respondent No.6 in CWP Nos.11684-11363 of 2016 for respondents No.4 and 5 in CWP-1584-2016.

HARPREET SINGH BRAR J. (Oral)

1. This common order shall dispose of all the above-mentioned petitions as they arise from a similar factual background. However, for the sake of brevity, the facts are taken from CWP-27198-2015.

2. The present petition has been preferred under Articles 226/227 of the Constitution of India seeking issuance of writ in the nature of certiorari/mandamus quashing the impugned order dated 20.11.2015 (Annexure P-15) passed by respondent No.2-Registrar, Department of Cooperative Societies whereby the decision to discontinue the Cooperative Bank Employees Pension Scheme, 2005 was held to be fair, reasonable and legal.

FACTUAL BACKGROUND

3. Succinctly put, the facts are that the petitioners are retired employees of the Punjab State Cooperative Bank Ltd., Chandigarh (hereinafter ‘PSCB’), the District Central Cooperative Banks Ltd. situated at Moga, Faridkot, Muktsar, Ferozepur, Bathinda, Sangrur, Fatehgarh Sahib, Patiala etc., and those who fall under the Common Cadre were governed by the Punjab State Cooperative Financing Institutions Service Rules, 1970-71 while Non-Common Cadre employees were governed by the Punjab State Cooperative Financing Institutions Rules, 1958. With a view to avail tax benefit, the PSCB formulated the Cooperative Ba