WP(C)/1078/2026 of RAHIMA BEGUM Vs THE STATE OF ASSAM AND 4 ORS on 16 June 2026

ORDER

Date : 17.06.2026

Heard Mr. K. Uddin, learned counsel for the petitioner.

2. By filing this writ petition, the petitioner has prayed for a direction to the respondent authorities to revalidate and release the family pension, along with the arrear pension, payable in respect of her deceased husband, Late Haris Ali.

3. The petitioner is the wife of Late Haris Ali, who was serving as a Chowkidar in Gulcherra M.E. Madrassa, Sribhumi District, Assam. The petitioner's husband had died in harness on 23.11.2000, leaving behind the petitioner, a son and a daughter as his legal heirs. On the demise of her deceased husband, the petitioner was granted family pension with effect from 24.11.2000. However, since November, 2019, the family pension has not been credited to her account as she could not submit life certificate due to her illness during the Covid-19 pandemic. The petitioner had also lost the PPO book and on application, a duplicate PPO book was issued to her on 13.10.2023.

4. Mr. K. Uddin, learned counsel for the petitioner, submits that the petitioner had submitted an application on 06.04.2023 before the respondent authorities praying for reopening of her pension account. Pursuant thereto, the Treasury Officer, Ramkrishna Nagar Sub-Treasury, Sribhumi, by communication dated 07.08.2024, informed the Branch Manager, Punjab National Bank, that pension remaining undrawn for more than 3 (three) years is required to be sent back to the sanctioning authority, i.e., the Director of Pension, through the concerned Treasury for revalidation. He submits that all the relevant documents have been thereafter forwarded to the respondent Bank.

5. Mr. A. Chaliha, learned Standing Counsel, Finance Department, submits that the Treasury Officer, Ramkrishna Nagar Sub-Treasury, Sribhumi, has already completed the process of revalidation and forwarded all relevant records to the respondent Bank. Therefore, there would not be any impediments to release the family pension to the petitioner.

6. Mr. A. Parwez, learned Standing Counsel for the Punjab National Bank, submits that the respondent Bank has received the revalidated pension papers along with all relevant documents in respect of the petitioner for payment of family pension. However, in view of certain procedure requirement, an approval is required from the Centralized Pension Processing Centre (CPPC), Kolkata. He submits that the said approval is expected to be received within 10 (ten) days.

7. Having considered the submissions advanced by the learned counsel for the parties and taking note of the fact that the family pension has already been revalidated by the competent authority and the relevant documents have been forwarded to the respondent Bank as well as considering the submission of the learned Standing Counsel for the Bank that only approval from the CPPC, Kolkata remains to be obtained, this Court is of the view that no further adjudication is required in the present proceedings.

8. Accordingly, the writ petition stands closed with an observation that the respondent Bank, particularly respondent No. 5, shall expedite the process of obtaining the requisite approval from the CPPC, Kolkata and upon receipt thereof, release the family pension along with the admissible arrears to the petitioner without any avoidable delay.

9. Writ petition stands disposed of.

JUDGE Comparing Assistant