2026:CGHC:9567 RUKHSAR NAFR BANO RUKHSAR BANO Date: 2026.02.26 HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR

16:43:15 +0530 WPC No. 802 of 2026

1 - Revaram Yadav S/o Kanhaiya Yadav Aged About 53 Years R/o Village Solha (Sarkhor), Tahsil Lawan, District- Balodabazar- Bhatapara (C.G.)

... Petitioner versus

1 - State Of Chhattisgarh Through Its Secretary, Department Of Revenue And Disaster Management, Mahanadi Bhawan, Atal Nagar Nava Raipur, District- Raipur (C.G.)

2 - The Collector District- Balodabazar- Bhatapara (C.G.)

3 - Sub-Divisional Officer (Revenue) Balodabazar, District- Balodabazar- Bhatapara (C.G.)

4 - Tahsildar Tahsil Lawan, District- Balodabazar- Bhatapara (C.G.)

... Respondents (Cause title, as taken from CIS)

For Petitioner : Mr. Atul Kumar Kesharwani, Advocate For State/Respondents : Mr. Shobhit Mishra, Dy. Govt. Adv.

(Hon'ble Shri Justice Naresh Kumar Chandravanshi)

Order on Board

24/02/2026

1. With the consent of the parties, the matter is heard finally.

2. The petitioner has preferred this writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India seeking following reliefs :-

“10.1 The Hon’ble Court may kindly be pleased to quash and set aside the impugned memo dated 15.09.2025 (Annexure P-1) passed by respondent No.03, SDO (Revenue), Balodabazar, in the interest of justice.

10.2 This, Hon’ble Court may kindly be pleased to direct the respondent authorities to provide financial assistance to the petitioner on account of death of his wife as per C.g. Revenue Book Circular 6-4 of order no.F 1-180/revenue/ relief/ 2022, dated

01.12.2022.

10.3 This Hon’ble Court may kindly be pleased to grant any other writ/writs, order/orders, relief/reliefs in favour of the petitioner, which the Hon’ble Court deemed fit and just in the facts and circumstances of the case, including awarding of the costs to the petitions.”

3. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that Sunita Bai, wife of the petitioner, while fetching water from a Well, as she accidentally slipped, fell into the well, sustained head injury, and subsequently succumbed to the injuries and drowning on 02.03.2018 at Village Solha (Sarkhor), Police Chowki Lawan, Thana Kasdol, District Balodabazar-Bhatapara. The petitioner submitted an application (Annexure -P/3) before the Naib Tahsildar, Tahsil Lawan, seeking grant of ex gratia amount. The matter was referred to the the Sub-Divisional Officer (Revenue), Balodabazar, who, vide order dated 18.05.2020 passed in Revenue Case No.23A/74/2019-20, rejected the petitioner’s application on the ground that the cause of death of petitioner’s wife was head injury; therefore, the petitioner was not entitled to get ex gratia amount as provided under Clause 6-4 of the Revenue Book Circular. Aggrieved thereby, an appeal was preferred by petitioner bearing Appeal Case No.202008210100017/06 A/74 (Year 2019-20) (Annexure -P/5) before the Collector, Balodabazar-Bhatapara. The said appeal was also rejected vide order dated 23.08.2021. The Collector observed that the order passed by the SDO (Revenue) is not appealable; however, he simultaneously remitted the matter with a direction to reconsider the issue and submit a report after due inquiry. Subsequently, the petitioner filed Writ Petition (C) No.3516/2022, which was disposed of by a co- ordinate Bench vide order dated 16.07.2025. Paragraphs 6 & 7 of the said order are reproduced herein-below :

“6. Perusal of final report (Annexure P-5) would reveal that concerned Superintendent of Police has forwarded the final report based on the facts and post-mortem report of deceased Sunita Bai mentioning that on 03.03.2018 due to slip of leg, deceased fell into the Well and sustained grievous injuries in her head and, thereafter, died on the same day.

7. Considering facts of the case, submissions of counsel for the parties, writ petition is disposed of directing the concerned respondent-authority to consider and decide the pending claim application of the petitioner expeditiously in accordance relevant law/rules and