8th Pay Commission: Shamli pensioners’ 12 demands include coverage for retirees before 1 Jan 2026

Retired employees and pensioners staged a protest at the Collectorate in Shamli, Uttar Pradesh, on Tuesday, seeking the inclusion of government employees who retired before 1 January 2026 within the scope of the 8th Pay Commission.

The retired employees and pensioners’ association raised a 12-point set of demands and submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath through the District Magistrate.

According to a report by Dainik Bhaskar, the protesters highlighted a lack of clarity over the treatment of older pensioners following the constitution of the 8th Pay Commission. The association also argued that previous pay commissions did not create such a distinction between employees and pensioners based on their date of retirement.

Pensioners seek pension revision, old pension restoration

According to the report, the association demanded that no distinction be made by date of retirement and that the pensions of older retirees be revised as well. It also sought the restoration of the old pension system and the exemption of pension income from tax.

Other key demands included a 5% increase in the pension every 5 years after age 65 and an end to deductions related to pension commutation after 10 years. The pensioners also sought payment of 18 months of dearness allowance/dearness relief (DA/DR) arrears withheld during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The memorandum further called for dearness allowance above 50% to be merged with basic pension. The association also sought interim relief for employees, teachers and pensioners, citing delays in the Pay Commission process.

Rail fare concession, healthcare benefits among demands

For senior citizens, the pensioners demanded a 50% concession on railway fares, along with an increase in the cashless treatment limit under Ayushman Bharat to ₹10 lakh. They also called for the creation of a ‘Senior Citizens Commission’.

Association officials said signature petitions outlining their demands had previously been sent to the Prime Minister’s Office. They maintained that the organisation was pursuing its demands through legitimate means, with the primary objective of improving the livelihoods of retired government employees and their families.

Note: These 12 points are demands raised by the Shamli Retired Employees and Pensioners Association, as reported by Dainik Bhaskar. They are not approved by the 8th Pay Commission recommendations or government decisions.

Will these demands be heard by the 8th Pay Commission panel?

This will be known after the 8th Pay Commission submits its final report to the central government.

When will the 8th Pay Commission submit its final report?

The 8th Pay Commission is a 3-member commission. It is a temporary body. It is headed by Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai. The commission was constituted on 3 November 2025 and is expected to submit its final report within 18 months of its constitution as per the terms of reference. Therefore, tentatively, the final report of the 8th Pay Commission is expected to be tabled in May-June 2027, if the commission does not seek more time.