IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH C.W.P.No.10156 of 2011 Date of Decision:- 01.06.2011 Jaswinder Kaur ....Petitioner(s) vs. Punjab State Power Corporation Limited and others ....Respondent(s) *** CORAM:- HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE AUGUSTINE GEORGE MASIH *** Present:- Mr.L.S.Sidhu, Advocate, for the petitioner. *** AUGUSTINE GEORGE MASIH, J. (Oral) It is the claim of the petitioner in this writ petition that the petitioner is a widow of Ranjit Singh, who was working as an Assistant Lineman with the Punjab State Electricity Board (hereinafter referred to as 'the Board') (now Punjab State Power Corporation Limited), died in harness on 27.7.2007. The petitioner filed her claim for retiral benefits and appointment on compassionate grounds for one of the adult family members. A demand was made by the respondent-Board to submit a natural heir certificate which the petitioner obtained from the office of the Deputy Commissioner on 4.11.2008 and forwarded it to the respondents. Nothing was done thereon and letter dated 12.5.2010 was issued seeking clarification from the petitioner as to whether the deceased Ranjit Singh, husband of the petitioner, had two wives. In response to the said letter, communication dated 29.5.2010 was sent by the petitioner clarifying that the first wife of Ranjit Singh had C.W.P.No.10156 of 2011 -2- died and Parveen Kumari and Seema Rani were the two daughters from the first marriage. She is the second wife and out of the wedlock she has a son and a daughter. One of the daughters, out of the first marriage, namely, Parveen Kumari is married and second, namely, Seema Rani is major and the other two children are minor. Despite this clarification, no further steps have been taken by the respondents either to release the pension or any other retiral benefits till date. When nothing was heard from the respondents, the petitioner then submitted a representation dated 28.2.2011 (Annexure P-4) for release of the pension and other pensionary benefits but till date no decision has been taken thereon. Counsel for the petitioner contends that the petitioner, at this stage, would be satisfied if a direction is issued to the Chief Accounts Officer (Funds)-respondent No.2 to consider and decide the representation dated 28.2.2011 within some specified time. If that be so, without going into the merits of the case or commenting thereon, the present writ petition is disposed of with directions to the Chairman, Punjab State Power Corporation Limited-respondent No.1 to consider the claim of the petitioner for appointment on compassionate grounds and to Chief Accounts Officer (Funds)-respondent No.2 for family pension and other retiral benefits as has been submitted by her in her representation dated 28.2.2011 (Annexure P-4) within a period of four weeks from the date of receipt of certified copy of this order. The decision so taken be conveyed to the petitioner forthwith. In case the petitioner is held entitled to the claims made by her C.W.P.No.10156 of 2011 -3- in her representation, the pension be released to her within a period of one week thereafter and other benefits within a further period of six weeks. June 01, 2011 ( AUGUSTINE GEORGE MASIH ) poonam JUDGE