CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has directed the Freedom Fighters Pension Division of the Union Home Affairs Ministry in New Delhi to sanction pension to an old woman, whose husband served in the Indian National Army (INA) during 1945-46 and died in April, 1969.
Justice R Suresh Kumar, who gave the direction, also imposed a cost of Rs 10,000 on the authorities concerned for dragging their feet on the issue for well over 30 years.
In any democratic setup, the rulers will make policy decisions for the welfare of the people. But the policy-makers depend on the administrative machinery which has to implement such policies.
While implementing the policies of the government, those, who are at the helm of affairs in administrative hierarchy, should go in unison with the policy-makers, the judge noted.
L Kathayee Ammal, a widow of Lakshmana Thevar, has been made to wait for 30 long years. Her application has been kept pending by the Central Government, for which this court wants to register its displeasure against all those responsible, the judge said.
Setting aside the pension rejection order passed in 2003, the judge directed the government to sanction the pension to the petitioner from the date of her application, September 25, 1973.
The arrears shall be calculated and be paid to the petitioner with six per cent interest per annum from the due date till the date of payment, the judge added.