Smt. Meera Singh Kanwar v. The State Of Chhattisgarh

: Mr. Anish Tiwari, Dy. Govt. Advocate (Hon’ble Shri Justice Naresh Kumar Chandravanshi) Order on Board

07.07.2026

This petition, filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, has been preferred by the petitioner seeking a direction to the respondents to release and pay all service and retiral dues, including family pension, payable in respect of the petitioner’s late husband, namely, Dhannu Singh Kanwar.

Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that late Dannu Singh Kanwar was the husband of the petitioner and he died on 11.9.2020. In the year 1990 Dannu Singh Kanwar was appointed to the post of Time 2 Keeper/Field Assistant in Public Works Department, Bilaspur. After serving for about two years at Bilaspur, he was transferred to the PWD Sub-Division, Sakti, District Bilaspur. It is further submitted that Dhannu Singh Kanwar remained absent from duty from 01.5.2005 on account of registration of criminal case against him. Ultimately, he was convicted only for the offence punishable under Section 420 of the Indian Penal Code and was acquitted of the remaining charges. He was sentenced to the period already undergone and was directed to pay a fine of Rs.1,000/-. She further submits that at one point of time, there was family dispute between the petitioner and her late husband Dhannu Singh. However, they reunited in the year 2015 and started living together. During the Covid-19 pandemic, petitioner’s husband died on

09.11.2020. It is further submitted that the petitioner thereafter submitted an application before the respondent authorities seeking release of the service and retiral dues payable in respect of her late husband. On the respondent’s demand, she also submitted notarized statement, despite that she has not been granted service/retiral dues payable to the petitioner. Hence, learned counsel prays that this writ petition may be disposed of by directing the respondent authorities to consider and release all service and retiral dues, including family pension and other consequential benefits, payable in respect of the petitioner's late husband, in accordance with law, within a time-bound period.

In reply, learned counsel for the State submits that communications (Annexure-P/5 & P/6) in this regard have been made between the Sub Divisional Office (PWD), Sakti Sub Division Sakti and Executive Engineer (PWD), Sakti, Champa Division, Champa regarding the release of the service and retiral dues payable in respect of the petitioner's late husband. It is further submitted that the service book of the deceased employee is presently 3 unavailable, as it had been seized by the police in connection with the criminal proceedings. Hence, the respondent authorities are in the process of reconstructing the service book of late Dhannu Singh Kanwar. It is submitted that immediately upon completion of the reconstruction of the service book, all admissible service and retiral dues payable in respect of the petitioner's late husband shall be processed and released in accordance with law.

Heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the material available on record.

Having considered the rival submissions advanced by learned counsel for the parties and, in particular, the facts emerging from the internal communications exchanged between the respondent authorities regarding the release of the service and retiral dues payable in respect of late Dhannu Singh Kanwar, husband of the petitioner, as well as the limited prayer made by learned counsel for the petitioner, this Court is of the opinion that no useful purpose would be served by keeping the present petition pending.

Accordingly, this petition stands disposed of. Pending interlocutory application(s), if any, stands disposed of. Bini Sd/- (Naresh Kumar Chandravanshi) Judge