UNION OF INDIA & ORS. vs SMT. GUDDI BISHT W/O 1278283Y LATE HAV PURAN CHANDRA SINGH BISHT

IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI W.P.(C) 16268/2025, CM APPL. 66522/2025 & CM APPL. 66523/2025 UNION OF INDIA & ORS. .....Petitioners Through: Mr. Prajesh Vikram Srivastava, SPC and Mr. Dipanshu Sharma, Adv with Major Anish Muralidhar, Army. versus SMT. GUDDI BISHT W/O 1278283Y LATE HAV PURAN CHANDRA SINGH BISHT .....Respondent Through: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE C. HARI SHANKAR HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE OM PRAKASH SHUKLA JUDGMENT(ORAL) % 27.10.2025 C. HARI SHANKAR, J. 1. This writ petition assails the order dated 31 July 2023, passed by the learned Armed Forces Tribunal1 in OA 672/20202. 2. The respondent Guddi Bisht is the widow of one Havaldar Puran Chandra Singh Bisht3. Puran was enrolled in the Indian Army on 5 August 1965. Consequent to the death of his first wife, Puran married the respondent on 1 May 1977. The Tribunal has recorded, in the impugned order, and it is not in dispute before us, that, consequent on the marriage of Puran with the respondent, the respondent’s name 1 “the Tribunal” hereinafter 2 Smt Guddi Bisht v Union of India and others. 3 “Puran” hereinafter W.P.(C) 16268/2025 3. On 29 April 1978, Puran died, following an electric shock. A Court of Inquiry4 was