In a significant ruling, the Himachal Pradesh High Court directed the Vidhan Sabha (state assembly) to release pension and pending arrears to former Congress MLAs Rajinder Rana and Ravi Thakur, who were disqualified for violating party regulations before joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2024. The court emphasized that legislative changes regarding pension entitlements must not be applied retrospectively, allowing the two MLAs to receive their benefits from previous terms. The High Court's decision, made by a Division Bench on April 7, mandates that the Vidhan Sabha Secretary ensure the payment of the “due and admissible pension” within one month, along with interest at 6% per annum for any delays. The Assembly's communication clarified that a previous amendment bill aimed at denying pensions to disqualified legislators has been withdrawn, and a new bill passed in 2026 will only affect future disqualifications. Rana and Thakur were part of a group of six Congress MLAs who switched to the BJP after their disqualification, highlighting the political turmoil in Himachal Pradesh.