In a rare move, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has imposed costs on itself and the State for delaying pension payments to the widow of a former civil judge. The Court expressed strong disapproval over the prolonged withholding of benefits, ultimately directing authorities to pay ₹25,000 in costs and grant interest on the overdue pension, family pension, and gratuity.
The case revolved around Pritam Kaur, widow of Gurnam Singh Sewak, a former Civil Judge (Senior Division)-cum-Additional Chief Magistrate, who retired in 1999. His pension was stalled due to an unresolved departmental inquiry. Though the charges were quashed in 2018, payments remained blocked, even after Sewak’s passing in 2021. It was only in 2024 that the pension and gratuity were finally sanctioned.
The Court sharply criticized the administrative delay, questioning why pension payments were withheld despite earlier rulings in Sewak’s favor. It also took issue with the attempt to recover subsistence allowance from his suspension period, calling it legally unjustified.
Ordering authorities to rectify the long-standing lapse, the Court emphasized that pension is a fundamental right and should not be denied under bureaucratic hurdles. The ruling underscores the judiciary’s demand for accountability—even within its own ranks.
