IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH Date of Decision : 29.01.2026 Union of India and others ....Petitioners Versus Smt. Anuradha Saini and another ....Respondents CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE HARSIMRAN SINGH SETHI HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE VIKAS SURI ----

Present: Mr. Saksham Parmar, Advocate for the petitioners.

Mr. Navdeep Singh, Senior Advocate with Ms. Roopam Atwal, Advocate and Mr. Rajat Chauhan, Advocate for respondent No.1.

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Harsimran Singh Sethi, J. (Oral)

1. In the present petition, the challenge is to the impugned order dated 16.03.2023 (Annexure P-5) passed by respondent No.2 – Armed Forces Tribunal, Regional Bench, Chandigarh (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Tribunal), by which, benefit of Liberalised Family Pension has been granted in favour of respondent No.1.

2. The learned counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioners submits that the grant of benefit of Liberalised Family Pension, in the facts and circumstances of the present case is not covered as, the officer died while he was sleeping in the bunker and therefore, the same cannot be treated as a death occurring in an operational area. Learned counsel for the petitioners further argues that under any circ