2013 Supreme(AP) 675
HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH
R. SUBHASH REDDY & A.V. SESHA SAI, JJ.
Mrs. Rukhia Banu & Others
Versus
The Commissioner & Director Agriculture Office at Opp., & Others
Writ Petition No. 15621 of 2011
Decided On : 26-08-2013
For the Petitioners:Mohd. Ghulam Hussain, Advocate.
For the Respondents:R1 to R3, GP for Services I, R4 to R7, K. Lakshmana Chary, Advocate, R8, None.
Headnote:A.P. Civil Services (Conduct) Rules 1964 - Rule 25 – Family pension---Claim by second wife and children of deceased employee—Rule 25 cannot be invoked for purpose of dealing with entitlement of family members of deceased employee to claim post-retirement benefits - Claim of petitioner is required to be considered in terms of A.P. Revised Pension Rules.
A.V. SESHA SAI, J.
1. This Writ petition, under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, is filed assailing the order of the A.P. Administrative Tribunal, Hyderabad (hereinafter called ‘the Tribunal’) dated 13.8.2010 passed in O.A.No. 5984 of 2009 filed by the petitioners herein. By virtue of the said order, the Tribunal dismissed the Original Application filed by the petitioners herein.
2. The petitioners herein filed the said O.A.No.5984 of 2009 under Section 19 of A.P. Administrative Tribunals’ Act, 1985, seeking the following relief:
“To set aside the impugned letters (1) Letter No.AE(2)/1076/2006 dated 2.4.2009 of the Chief Accounts Officer, O/o the Commissioner and Director of Agriculture, Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad addressed to the first applicant (2) Letter No.AE(2)/1076/2006 dated 17.4.2009 of the Chief Accounts Officer, O/o the Commissioner and Director of Agriculture, Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad addressed to the counsel for the applicants as being illegal, arbitrary, discriminatory and null and void by declaring that the applicants are entitled to 50% of the family pension and retirement gratuity other attendance service benefits payable consequent on the death of late Sri Mohd. Allauddin S/o Mohd. Imamuddin who died on 26.1.2009 in harness while working as Office Subordinate in the O/o the first respondent herein in the interest of justice.”
3. The facts, in nutshell, which are essential and imperative for adjudication of the controversy involved in the instant writ petition are as under:
4. Claiming to be the wife and children of one late Sri Mohd. Allauddin, petitioners herein filed O.A.No.5984 of 2009 before the Tribunal contending as follows.
(i) First petitioner/1st applicant is the second wife of late Sri Mohd. Allauddin, who passed away on 26.1.2009 in harness, while working as Office Subordinate in the office of 1st respondent herein and that the said deceased Mohd. Allauddin married the 1st petitioner herein on 16.6.1985 and the 1st petitioner gave birth to two sons namely Mohd. Zameeruddin and Mohd. Naseeruddin and one daughter Mrs. Shanaz Begum, who are petitioners 2 to 4 herein.
(ii) The names of petitioners 2 to 4/applicants 2 to 4 have been entered in the service record of Mohd. Allauddin along with the names of children through his first wife Mrs. Fahmida Sultana and the deceased Mohd. Allauddin also told the 1st petitioner/1st applicant that her name was also got entered by him in the service record.
(iii) Sri Salauddin, eldest son of late Sri Mohd. Allauddin through the first wife, who is shown as 5th respondent and aged 27 years owns welding business at Siddipet, Medak district, as such he is not entitled to seek compassionate appointment. The first wife of late Mohd. Allauddin and her children are dependant on the income of the said eldest son, Salauddin.
(iv) Late Mohd. Allauddin purchased a residential house bearing No.12-4-81/1, situated at Murshadgadda, Siddipet, Medak district in the name of his first wife, Mrs. Fahmida Sultana, wherein she and her children are presently residing (v) Eldest son of 1st applicant/1st petitioner herein i.e. Mohd. Zameeruddin is a student of B.Sc. 1st year and is entitled for compassionate appointment in the place of his deceased father and there are no bread winners in the family and the applicants/petitioners herein were solely dependant on late Mohd. Allauddin during his lifetime.
(vi) First applicant/1st petitioner is entitled for grant of half of the family pension and half of the monetary benefits as per Rule 50(6)(a)(i) of A.P. Revised Pension Rules, 1980. In the absence of any nomination, DCRJ and other service benefits are payable to the legal heirs of the deceased Government employees in equal shares and as such the applicants/petitioners herein are entitled to half of the pensionary benefits and other service benefits and compassionate appointment.
(vii) On 23.3.2009, the 1st petitioner/1st applicant requested for issuance of service c