As per case facts, the Petitioner, initially employed on a regular basis with ESPL (a PSU) from 1987, was later deputed and then appointed on a contract basis with the ... Department of Information Technology, Punjab. After ESPL was wound up and his services regularized with the State from 2011, he retired in 2021. His request to count his prior regular service in ESPL and contractual service in the Department of Information Technology for pensionary benefits was denied by the Respondents, citing specific instructions. The question arose whether the Petitioner's past regular service in ESPL and contractual service in the Department of Information Technology are countable towards pension and other pensionary benefits. Finally, the High Court, relying on statutory rules and precedents, ruled that service rendered with proper permission for government employment qualifies for pension, and administrative instructions cannot override these rules. Finding the Petitioner's service continuous and uninterrupted, the court allowed the petition, directing the Respondents to count the disputed service for all pensionary benefits.