S.K.Mastan Bee vs The General Manager, South Central ...

The Supreme Court held that the appellant, a widow of a deceased Railway employee, was entitled to family pension from the date of her husband's death on 21st November 1969, rejecting the Railways' claim of medical invalidation. The Court emphasized that the denial of pension constituted a violation of the appellant's fundamental right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution. The Court overturned the Division Bench's limitation on the retrospective benefit, asserting that the delay in claiming the pension should not bar her rightful claim.