After 51 Years, High Court Orders Pension for Widow of Lineman

Chandigarh: In a landmark judgment, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the Haryana government to release pension and pending dues to an 80-year-old widow within two months, concluding a legal battle that lasted over five decades. The elderly woman, whose husband was a lineman, finally received her rightful claim after 51 years of persistent struggle.

Decades-Long Fight for Justice
The widow, Lakshmi Devi, lost her husband, Maha Singh, in 1974 while he was working as a lineman at the electricity department. While she received a nominal ex-gratia of ₹6,026, other benefits such as family pension, gratuity, leave salary, and provident fund remained unresolved. Multiple representations, a writ petition filed in 2005, and RTI applications failed to compel the department to act, as officials repeatedly blamed missing records and delayed the process.

High Court Intervention
Justice Harpreet Singh Barad of the Punjab and Haryana High Court criticized the electricity department for ignoring the widow despite her repeated visits and communications. The court emphasized that denying relief to the most vulnerable citizens weakens the spirit of the Constitution, while protecting them upholds its true essence. The judgment specifically called it a constitutional obligation, not merely an act of compassion, to grant the widow her dues.

Department Held Accountable
The court ordered the Principal Secretary of the state’s electricity department to personally verify her claims and ensure all pending dues, including pension and other benefits, are disbursed within two months. The ruling has drawn widespread attention for highlighting bureaucratic neglect and the resilience of citizens in pursuing justice.