Mala Devi vs Union Of India

The Supreme Court examined the entitlement of a widow to family pension of her deceased husband, a temporary railway employee who died in service. The Court analyzed whether the absence of formal regularization or permanent absorption of the employee barred the family pension claim, despite the employee reaching the stage of screening for regularization. The Tribunal and the Court held that mere screening does not confer a right to pension without formal regularization. The Court ultimately upheld the decision that the appellant was not entitled to family pension under the circumstances.