JYOTI Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Present writ petition has been filed seeking the release of the benefits for which the petitioner became entitled after the death of her husband, who was serving as a Medical Officer with the State of Punjab.

(2.) As per the averments made in the writ petition, Dr. Gurinder Singh i.e. husband of the petitioner, who was serving on the post of Medical Officer at C.H.C. Daroli Bhai, District Moga, unfortunately died while in service on 03.09.2012. Petitioner and her two minors sons are the legal heirs of the deceased Dr. Gurinder Singh.

(3.) It is not disputed by the respondents-State that immediately after the death of Dr. Gurinder Singh, petitioner, who is the legal heir, became entitled to receive the benefits in respect of the service rendered by her husband including the family pension. Every effort was made by the petitioner to convince the respondents for the release the said benefits to her, but it took eight years before the respondents acceded to the genuine request of the petitioner to release the benefits, but not before the petitioner approached this Court seeking a direction to the respondents for the release of the benefits. The benefits in respect of the service rendered by the late husband of the petitioner were only released to her in December, 2020 i.e. after more than eight years of the death of her husband. It is also conceded by the respondents-State that even as of now only the provisional family pension has been allowed to the petitioner.