Pension is not bounty: HC

Allahabad, May 15 (UNI) Allahabad High Court today ruled that pension receiving wa a fundamental right of a person and his family and ordered a petitioner widow be paid the due amount with interest.

Taking serious note of denial of pension to a widow for 10 years, the court directed the Uttar Pradesh Urban Development Secretary to hold an inquiry and fix personal responsibility upon an officer, due to whose lapse the amount was not paid to the petitioner.

The order was passed by Justice Shishir Kumar on a writ petition filed by Bina Srivastava, whose husband died in 1996 during his service in the Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam.

A person served a particular department for a considerable period of time and died in harness. But, due to slackness and carelessness on part of the respondents, the amount of gratuity, GPF and other amount has not been paid to the petitioner, the Judge noted.

The Judge said after fixing the personal responsibility, the amount of interest to be paid to the petitioner will be recovered from the personal account of the guilty officer.

The court directed Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam Chief Engineer to make the payment of dues to the petitioner within six weeks with 8 per cent interest.

UNI XC VS HS BD2120