Meghalaya High Court: A Single Judge Bench comprising of Mohammad Yaqoob Mir, CJ., dismissed a petition claiming the family pension.
Facts of the case were that petitioner’s father was a constable and after his superannuation, he got retired in 1991. In the year 2009, the petitioner’s father expired. After he got expired his wife represented for grant of family pension which in the beginning was not granted and eventually an order withdrawing family pension was passed by AG’s Office to the Superintendent of Police. Since in 2017 wife also expired her daughter i.e. petitioner claimed family pension which was not considered. Hence, this petition was filed before the High Court.
Petitioner submitted that this petition was maintainable by virtue of amended Rule 48 of the Meghalaya Civil Services (Pension) Rules issued by Finance (Pension Cell) Department, Government of Meghalaya. According to the aforementioned rule family for the purpose of pension constitute a daughter which includes widow daughter, till the date of marriage or remarriage or till the date, she starts earning or till she turns 25 years old.
Issue before the Court was whether petitioner (daughter) can claim family pension after the death of the wife (petitioner’s mother) was found to be weakened by the fact that petitioner was otherwise not eligible to such family pension.
The High Court found that petitioner was married and above 25 years of age and by virtue of Rule 48 a married women cannot claim the family pension. Therefore, the petition was dismissed. [Prettilla M. Sangma v. State of Meghalaya,2018 SCC OnLine Megh 175, Order dated 27-09-2018]
