KANTA DEVI vs JAWAHARLAL NEHRU UNIVERSITY

Judgment text excerpt

$~P1 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI % Decided on: 31.07.2025 + W.P.(C) 5455/2024 KANTA DEVI ..... Petitioner Through: Mr. Abhik Chimni, Mr. Gurupal Singh, Ms. Pranjal Abrol, Ms. Shreya Bajpai & Mr. Rishabh Gupta, Advocates. versus JAWAHARLAL NEHRU UNIVERSITY ..... Respondent Through: Mr. Vasanth Rajasekaran, Senior Standing Counsel for JNU with Mr. Karan Prakash & Mr. Harshvardhan Korada, Advocates. CORAM: HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE PRATEEK JALAN JUDGMENT 1. By way of this writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution, the petitioner assails communications dated 02.09.2019 and 30.05.2022, issued by respondent-Jawaharlal Nehru University [“JNU”], and seeks a direction upon JNU to release family pension in respect of the services of her late husband Mr. Dharambir Singh. 2. Mr. Dharambir Singh worked in JNU since before 1993, originally as casual labour. He was thereafter offered appointment as an Office Attendant on ad-hoc basis on 11.06.2001 and joined on 28.06.2001. He was then appointed to a regular post of Office Attendant on 19.10.2004, but passed away barely one month later, on 20.11.2004. Signature Not Verified Signed By:BHUPENDER W.P.(C) 5455/2024 Page 1 of 7 Signing Date:31.07.2025 18:41:04 3. The petitioner has made several representations between the years 2018 and 2022, for release of family pension due on account of her late husband’s pensionable service. Her request has been declined by the impugned communications dated 02.09.2019 and 30.05.2022. She has filed another representation on 24.06.2022, which has not elicited a response. She has, therefore, approached this Court, by way of the present writ petition. 4. In the impugned communication dated 02.09.2019, the ground for rejection is stated to be non-compliance with a condition in the offer of