D. Pushpanathan v. State of Tamil Nadu, Rep. by the Secretary, Finance (Pension) Department, Chennai
2010-08-05
D.HARIPARANTHAMAN
body2010
DigiLaw.ai
Judgment :- 1. The petitioners son was employed in a private aided School as a Watchman. He died on 25.08.1998, while he was in service. The petitioners son got married and however he did not have issues. The petitioners daughter-in-law filed a suit in O.S.No.200 of 2000 before the District Munsif Court, Arakonam relating to the terminal benefits payable to her husband on his death. In the suit, the petitioner and the fourth respondent herein were shown as defendants. The suit was referred before the Lok Adalat for an amicable settlement. 2. Based on the settlement reached before the Lok Adalat, a compromise decree was passed by the District Munsif Court, Arakonam on 03.12.2004 in O.S.No.200 of 2000. The compromise decree is based on the settlement. The terms of the compromise decree area as follows:- TAMIL 3. As per the compromise decree, the daughter in law of the petitioner is receiving family pension. The daughter in law agreed for the payment of DCRG to the petitioner. Based on the compromise decree, the fourth respondent sent proposals to the first respondent for payment of DCRG to the petitioner. But the first respondent passed an order dated 11.12.2008 returning the proposals stating that the Tamil Nadu Pension Rules, 1978 do not provide for payment of DCRG to the father of the deceased Government servant. 4. In these circumstances, the petitioner has filed the present writ petition seeking to quash the aforesaid order dated 11.12.2008 of the first respondent and for a consequential direction to the first respondent to relax the Rules for granting DCRG so as to pay the DCRG in terms of the compromise decree passed by the District Munsif Court, Arakonam in O.S.No.200 of 2000 on 03.12.2004. 5. Notice of motion was ordered on 16.04.2009. 6. Heard Mr.M.Venkatakrishnan, learned counsel for the petitioner; Mrs.Lita Srinivasan, learned Government Advocate for the respondents 1,3 & 4 and Mrs.T.S.Selvarani, learned counsel for the second respondent. 7. As per the Rule 46 (1)(b) of the Tamil Nadu Pension Rules, 1978, (in short "the Rules") the DCRG has to be paid to the wife, if there is no nomination made by the deceased Government servant. In this case, no nomination was made and hence as per the Rules, the DCRG has to be paid to the wife of the deceased Government servant.
In this case, no nomination was made and hence as per the Rules, the DCRG has to be paid to the wife of the deceased Government servant. However, the wife of the deceased Government servant and father of the deceased Government servant entered into a compromise and a decree was passed by the District Munsif Court, Arakonam in O.S.No.200 of 2000 on 03.12.2004, providing DCRG to the petitioner and family pension to the wife of the deceased Government servant. 8. In the suit proceedings, the fourth respondent was also one of the parties. Taking into account, the aforesaid facts of the case, the first respondent is directed to pass suitable orders giving necessary relaxation in this matter by exercising its power under Rule 82 of the Tamil Nadu Pension Rules, so as to pay DCRG to the petitioner pursuant to the compromise decree dated 03.12.2004 in O.S.No.200 of 2000 by the District Munsif Court, Arakonam and to send necessary proposals to the second respondent for payment of DCRG to the petitioner. 9. As stated above, since there was a compromise decree, it is a fit case where the first respondent could exercises its power to relax the Rules that is provided under the Rule 82 of the Tamil Nadu Pension Rules. 10. In these circumstances, the impugned order dated 11.12.2008 of the first respondent is liable to be quashed and the same is quashed. The first respondent is directed to exercise its power under Rule 82 of the Rules by passing suitable order relaxing the rules so as to ensure the payment of DCRG to petitioner and to send proposals to the second respondent for payment of DCRG and the second respondent is directed to pass orders sanctioning DCRG to the petitioner. The first respondent is directed to complete its exercise within a period of six weeks from the date of receipt of the copy of the order and the second respondent is directed to sanction DCRG within a period of two weeks thereafter. 11. The writ petition is allowed on the above terms. No costs.