The case of Mala Devi Vs. Union of India & Ors is a dispute over family pension benefits for the appellant and Indian Railway government’s eligibility criteria which states that the employee’s family will be provided pension only after the completion of the eligible period for getting the pension which is of 10 years. Here, the main issue arises whether completion of 10 years of service is mandatory for getting a family pension or not.
The facts of the case were that appellant was a widow and claimed for getting pension from the railway government in matter of her deceased husband who was a railway employee and worked for a significant period of 9 years and 8 months and 26 days until his death, thus fell short for the mandatory eligibility criteria of getting the pension from railway government which is of 10 years leading to the rejection of the railway government on her claim, which leads the appellant to initiate the case before the court.
The Hon’ble Supreme Court of India found the rejection of the claim from the railway government infringing in nature as the deceased employee had met the requirements for temporary status and screening for the regularization, and thus delivers its judgement in favor of the appellant and specified that the completion of 10 years of service is not mandatory or getting the family pension especially for the employees who served in their organization actively.
The judgement signifies the need for considering humanitarian and moral grounds in the time of need while looking after the cases so that the maximum amount of justice can be delivered to the society and not to always look upon the regulations or technicality. It highlights that the provision of providing pension is to protect the needs of the interest holder and those who needed it or who is dependent on it, especially who diligently serves in their organization or their family members if deceased.
Judgement: https://api.sci.gov.in/supremecourt/2016/27032/27032_2016_14_1501_62409_Judgement_16-Jul-2025.pdf