High Court Jharkhand High Court

Bitia Hembram vs State Of Jharkhand & Ors on 21 June, 2011

Jharkhand High Court
Bitia Hembram vs State Of Jharkhand & Ors on 21 June, 2011
                IN THE HIGH COURT OF JHARKHAND AT RANCHI
                              W.P. (S) No.28 of 2011
            Bitia Hembram.                           ......Petitioner. 
                                     ­Versus­
            The State of Jharkhand & Ors.            .......Respondents.
                                      ­­­­­­
           CORAM : HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE NARENDRA NATH TIWARI
                                       ­­­­­­
            For the Petitioner :       Mr. Rajeh Kumar, Advocate.  
            For the State       :      J.C. to G.P.IV
                                       ­­­­­­
04/21.06.2011

: The petitioner is permitted to add the Accountant General, 
Jharkhand, Ranchi as respondent. 

In this writ petition, the petitioner has prayed for a direction 
on   the   respondents   to   release   family   pension,   amounts   of 
gratuity, provident fund and death­cum­retiral benefits, payable 
to   her,   after   death   of   her   husband.   The   petitioner   has   also 
prayed   for   a   direction   on   the   respondents   to   appoint   her   on 
compassionate ground. 

It has been stated that the petitioner’s husband, namely, 
Mangal Soren died in harness on 2nd  June, 1994, while he was 
working as Assistant Teacher, Primary School, Hethbandha. After 
the   death   of   her   husband,   the   petitioner,   being   the   widow,   is 
entitled to get all the service terminal benefits and death­cum­
retiral   benefits.   She   is   also   entitled   to   get   compassionate 
appointment. The petitioner applied for the same, but in spite of 
her   repeated   request   and   representations,   the   pensionary 
benefits have not been fully paid and she has not been given 
compassionate appointment till date. 

A   counter   affidavit   has   been   filed   on   behalf   of   the 
respondents,   stating,  inter   alia,   that   after   the   death   of   the 
petitioner’s husband, the respondents made all efforts and took 
initiative for disposal of her legitimate claim. They collected all 
the   papers   and   processed   her   claim   for   final   payment.   They 
have paid the amounts under different heads and sent papers 
for fixation of final pension vide Letter no.635 dated 9th  March, 
2011.   They   had   also   sent   letter   to   the   District   Provident   Fund 
Officer,   Pakur   for   payment   of   the   amount   of   provident   fund. 
There is, thus, no deliberate delay on the part of the respondents 
and  the  Accountant  General  has  to  finally  issue  the  pension
­2­
  payment order (PPO). 

Considering   the   said   submissions,   this   writ   petition   is 
disposed of, giving liberty to the petitioner to file representation, 
along with a copy of this order, before the concerned authority, 
if there is any deficiency in payment of the dues under different 
heads.   On   receipt   of   the   representation,   the   concerned 
authority shall consider the same and pass appropriate order, in 
accordance with law, within a period of six weeks from the date 
of receipt of the representation. If the petitioner is found entitled 
to one or the other benefits, the admitted amount thereof shall 
be paid to the petitioner within a period of six weeks thereafter 
with   statutory   interest.   If   the   amount(s)   found   payable   to   the 
petitioner   is/are  not   paid  within   the  said  period,  the   petitioner 
shall be entitled to get additional compensatory interest @ 10% 
per annum till final payment. 

The Accountant General, Jharkhand shall issue the pension 
payment order (PPO) after observing the legal formalities within 
a period of four weeks from the date of receipt of the required 
papers, if the same are not already received and the PPO is not 
issued.

The   State   respondents   shall   also   take   decision   regarding 
the   claim   of   the   petitioner   for   compassionate   appointment 
within   a   period   of   four   weeks   from   the   date   of 
receipt/production of a copy of this order. 

 

 (Narendra Nath Tiwari, J.)
Sanjay/