SC dismisses plea to restore concession in railway ticket prices for senior citizens. Due to this, senior citizens will not get the discount they used to get on railway tickets.
The Supreme Court on Friday rejected the petition to restore concession in railway ticket prices for senior citizens. Due to which senior citizens have got a big blow. Because now they will not be able to get the benefit of the discount on train tickets. A bench of Justices SK Kaul and Ahsanuddin Amanullah heard a petition filed by MK Balakrishnan, seeking restoration of concessions that were closed to contain the spread of the disease.
The Supreme Court says that it would not be appropriate for this court to issue a writ of mandamus in a petition under Article 32 of the Constitution. The government has to take a decision on this issue keeping in mind the needs of senior citizens and the fiscal consequences. Rejecting the argument of the petitioner, the bench said that giving concessions to the elderly is the responsibility of the state and not of the Centre.
Know why the exemption was done
The Center had stopped the concessions given to senior citizens in 2020 to discourage the movement of people to contain the spread of COVID-19. A Parliamentary Standing Committee had recently recommended reintroduction of concessions given to senior citizens before the onset of the pandemic.
Earlier used to get this much discount
Explain that Indian Railways used to provide 40 per cent concession in fare to men of 60 years or above and 50 per cent concession to women above 58 years of age. Which is no longer available.
