On Friday, the Supreme Court of India ruled that the State cannot differentiate between serving employees and pensioners when enhancing allowances meant to combat inflation. The bench, comprising Justice Manoj Misra and Justice Prasanna B Varale, dismissed appeals from the State of Kerala and the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), stating that inflation affects both groups equally. The judgment highlighted that equality is a dynamic concept and that arbitrary discrimination violates Article 14 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to equality. The case stemmed from a 2021 Government Order where the Kerala government increased the Dearness Allowance (DA) for KSRTC employees by 14% while limiting the Dearness Relief (DR) for pensioners to 11%. This discrepancy was challenged by retired employees, leading to a ruling in their favor by the Kerala High Court before the matter reached the Supreme Court. The Court asserted that benefits linked to inflation should not have differing rates based on employment status, as such differentiation lacks rational justification and is discriminatory.