In this application, the petitioner, who is the widow of Late Rajiv Ranjan Singh, has sought for a direction to the respondents to pay her family pension, group insurance amount and a sum of Rs.3,000/- as ex-gratia payment on account of the death of her husband.

2. The husband of the petitioner was initially appointed as Khalasi by the Superintending Engineer, Mechanical Circle, Road Construction Department, Darbhanga for three months, vide order dated 25.7.1996, contained in Annexure 1.

3. The case of the petitioner is that the service of the husband of the petitioner was regularised, vide order contained in memo no. 602 dated 31.10.1996 (Annexure 3). The husband of the petitioner, however, died on 3.1.1997. According to her, her husband was very much in service of the State Government at the time of his death.

4. A counter affidavit has been filed on behalf of the Chief Engineer, Mechanical Wing, the Superintending Engineer, Mechanical Circle and the Executive Engineer, Mechanical Division of the Road Construction Department (respondents no.2 to 4 respectively). In the said counter affidavit it is stated that the husband of the petitioner was appointed vide letter dated 25.7.19