BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT

Date of Reserving the Order Date of Pronouncing the Order

30.10.2025 12.12.2025

CORAM:

THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE K.KUMARESH BABU

W.P.(MD) No.27081 of 2025

and

W.M.P.(MD) No. 21019 of 2025

S.Dinesh Lambart Rajan ... Petitioner

-vs-

1.The District Collector, District Collector Office,

Dindigul.

2.The Regional Officer,

United India Insurance Co., Ltd.,

LBO: 010600, Silingi Building,

134, Greams Road, Chennai – 600 006.

3.The Joint Director,

Health Service,

Dindigul District,

Dindigul. ... Respondents

PRAYER: Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, to issue

a writ of certiorarified Mandamus to call for the records pertaining to the impugned order in claim in Ref:010600/CR-478/21/2024, dated 07.02.2025 issued by the second respondent and quash the same as illegal and consequently direct the second respondent to process and reimburse the medical claim of the petitioner.

For Petitioner : Mr.G.M.Xavier For Respondents : Mr.F.Deepak Spl Govt., Pleader for RR1 &R3 Mr.Robert Chandrakumar for R2

O R D E R

This Writ Petition had been filed to quash impugned order, dated

07.02.2025 issued by the second respondent as illegal and consequently direct the second respondent to process and reimburse the medical claim of the petitioner.

2. Heard Mr.G.M.Xavier, the learned counsel appearing for the petitioner and Mr.F.Deepak, learned Special Government Pleader appearing for the first & third respondents and Mr.Robert Chandrakumar, learned counsel appearing for the second respondent.

3.The learned counsel appearing for the petitioner would submit that the petitioner's mother was the pensioner covered under the Employee Pensioner Scheme of the second respondent. The mother had underwent an Valve Replacement surgery on 15.02.2021, but had unfortunately passed away during the treatment on 27.02.2021. The petitioner had made a claim for medical reimbursement along with all the original bills with the third respondent. The said claim had been forwarded by the third respondent to the first and second respondents. Under the impugned order, the claim of the petitioner had been rejected as being made belatedly. He would submit that the delay had not occurred at his behalf, but only as there was a delay in processing by the third and the first respondents. He would further submit that no notice of hearing was given to the petitioner before rejecting the claim made by the petitioner. Therefore, he seeks indulgence of this Court.

4. Countering his arguments, the learned counsel appearing for the second respondent would contend that for treatment that had been taken in the month of February 2021, the petitioner had submitted his claim on 30.05.2022 and the claim was forwarded by the third respondent as the claim had reached beyond the cut off date namely 31.12.2023 as per the proceedings of the Secretary to Government, Finance Department, dated

20.11.2023. As per the said communication, Pensioners who had taken treatment between 01.07.2021 till 30.06.2022 ought to have submitted their forms prior to 31.12.2023, and therefore, he would submit that there is no error in the order impugned herein.

5. That apart, he would submit that even under the order impugned herein, the petitioner had been informed that he can make appropriate application before the Grievance Cell formed by the Government in that regard. Hence, he would submit that the Writ Petition as prayed for by the petitioner need not be entertained as the petitioner has got an effective alternative remedy before the Grievance Cell. Hence, he prays this Court to dismiss the Writ Petition.

6. I have considered the submissions made by the learned counsels appearing on either side and perused the materials placed on record.

7. The claim made by the petitioner of medical reimbursement that had been incurred to the petitioner's mother, who was the pensioner, had been rejected as the application had reached the second respondent after the cut off date namely 31.12.2023.

8. I