The Supreme Court on Friday rejected a petition seeking the restoration of train fare concessions offered to senior citizens by the Railways before the Covid-19 pandemic, saying it’s a policy matter.

A Bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Ahsanuddin Amanullah, while rejecting the petition moved a party-in-person, observed,

"In view of the aforesaid reasons and the matter involving a fiscal issue, it won't be appropriate for this Court to issue a writ of the nature the petitioner seeks under Article 32 of the Constitution. It is for the Government to take a call on the policy decision, keeping in mind the needs of the senior citizens and the fiscal repercussions. Dismissed with the aforesaid directions."

“It would not be appropriate for this court to issue a writ of mandamus in a petition under Article 32 of the Constitution. It is for the government to take a call on the issue keeping in mind the needs of the senior citizens and the fiscal repercussions,” 

Earlier, the Railways used to offer a 40 per cent discount in fares to males aged 60 years or more and 50 per cent to females over the age of 58 years.

Balakrishnan contended that the State has an obligation to grant concessions to the elderly but the Bench was not convinced.

The Centre had in 2020 discontinued the concessions granted to senior citizens to discourage the movement of people to arrest the spread of Covid-19.

A parliamentary standing committee recently recommended resumption of the concessions that was granted to senior citizens before the onset of the pandemic