THE HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE N.V.RAMANA WRIT PETITION No.13906 of 2009 Date:11.08.2009 Between: T. Narayana Reddy. ..... PETITIONER AND The Government of India. .....RESPONDENT THE HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE N.V.RAMANA WRIT PETITION No.13906 of 2009 Oral order: This writ petition is filed seeking to declare the action of the respondent in not considering the claim of the petitioner for grant of Freedom Fighters Pension under Swatantra Sainik Samman Pension Scheme - 1980 (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Pension Scheme’), as illegal and arbitrary. The petitioner, who claims to be a freedom fighter, states that he submitted application for grant of pension under the Pension Scheme in the year 1997, and despite his case having been recommended by the District Collector, Warangal, on two occasions, no action thereon had been taken. Questioning the inaction of the respondent in not considering his application for grant of freedom fighter pension, the petitioner states that he along with similarly situated persons, filed writ petition in W.P.No.35145 of 2007 seeking directions to the respondent to place their applications before the Screening Committee, constituted for the purpose of verification of applications and recommending sanction of freedom fighters pension and other benefits under the Pension Scheme. By order dated 08.08.2006, the said writ petition was disposed of following the orders passed in W.P.No.8380 of 1997 dated 08.08.2006, which in fact, was disposed of with the following directions: Since the recommendations of the Screening Committee constituted by the Government of India are not available, it is not possible to adjudicate on the legality of the reasons incorporated in the communications dated 14.01.1997, which are subject matter of challenge in this petition, and I feel that ends of justice would be met by directing that if the petitioners submit evidence before the competent authority of the Government of India in support of their claim for being treated as freedom fighters within the meaning of the 190 Scheme, then the same will be decided within a maximum period of three months from the date of submission of the application. Pursuant to the above order, the petitioner states that the petitioner submitted evidence in support of his case, and thereupon, his application was forwarded to the State Government for verification. The State Government in turn called report from the District Collector, Warangal, who after conducting enquiry, the petitioner states recommended his case for grant of Freedom Fighters Pension to the State Government vide orders dated 28.09.2008. Thereafter, the State Government vide proceedings dated 21.10.2008, forwarded proposals to the respondent, but the same are pending. The petitioner states that the respondent has now constituted a Screening Committee, consisting of eminent Freedom Fighters of Erstwhile Hyderabad State, to examine the applications, and that the respondent be directed to place his case before the said Screening Committee for consideration. Despite admitting the writ petition and granting time to the respondent to file counter, no counter is filed. However, having regard to the fact that the respondent is said to have constituted a Screening Committee, consisting of eminent Freedom Fighters of Erstwhile Hyderabad State, for examining the applications, both the counsel for the petitioner and the learned Assistant Solicitor General appearing on behalf of the respondent agreed for disposal of the writ petition with the following directions: The respondent is directed to place the application of the petitioner along with the proposals forwarded by the State Government on 21.10.200 before the Screening Committee, and thereupon the Screening Committee, which shall consider the case of the petitioner for grant of pension under the Pension Scheme, and pass appropriate orders thereon, expeditiously. Accordingly, the writ petition is disposed of. No costs. ________________ N.V.RAMANA, J Date: 11.08.2009 GHN/KSR