HIRA NAND KHANDUJA Vs. STATE OF HARYANA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The appellants, impugn the judgment of the learned Single Judge dated 13.07.2004, whereby their writ petition was dismissed. Appellants herein, namely, legal heirs of Smt. Neelam Khanduja deceased, filed a writ petition, praying for the issuance of a direction to the respondents to grant benefits under the Haryana Government Employees Group Insurance Scheme, 1985 ( hereinafter referred to as 'Group Insurance Scheme').

(2.) Smt. Neelam Khanduja was working as the Headmistress in Government Primary School, Kishanpura, Block Thanesar-I, District Kurukshetra. On 20.08.1985, the Government notified a Group Insurance LPA No. 410 of 2004 [2]

(3.) scheme for their employees. The employees in service were required to subscribe to the scheme. They were provided an opportunity to exercise an option to be governed by the scheme, upto 30.09.1985. The scheme further provided that the employees who failed to exercise their option would be deemed to have become members of the scheme from the date the scheme comes into force. Smt. Neelam Khanduja did not exercise her option and it is, therefore, alleged that she became a member of the scheme. Consequently Rs. 20/- was deducted from her salary for the month of April, 1986. It is contended that once a sum of Rs.20/- was deducted from her salary, Smt. Neelam Khanduja became a member of the scheme and therefore, as she expired on 27.8.2006, the respondents were bound to pay a sum of Rs.20,000/- in terms of the scheme.