Union of India v. V. K. Sarasa

# IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM # PRESENT THE HONOURABLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE MR.S.MANIKUMAR & ## THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE SHAJI P.CHALY # WEDNESDAY, THE 23[RD] DAY OF NOVEMBER 2022 / 2ND AGRAHAYANA, 1944 ## W.A.NO.818 OF 2022 AGAINST THE JUDGMENT IN WP(C)18964/2020 OF HIGH COURT OF KERALA DATED 4.3.2022 ## APPELLANT/1ST RESPONDENT: UNION OF INDIA, REPRESENTED BY THE DEPUTY SECRETARY TO THE GOVT., MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS, FREEDOM FIGHTERS' DIVISION, NEW DELHI CITY CENTRE-II BUILDING, 2ND FLOOR, 'A' WING, JAISINGH ROAD, NEAR YMCA, NEW DELHI, PIN – 110 001. BY ADV.S.KRISHNA ## RESPONDENTS/WRIT PETITIONER & 2ND RESPONDENT: - 1 V. K. SARASA, W/O LATE GANGADHARAN @ KUNJAN GANGADHRAN, VADAKUZHIYIL HOUSE, KUTHIRAPANTHY WARD, ALAPPUZHA, PIN – 688 002 - 2 STATE OF KERALA, REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY TO GOVT. GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE (FF.P.A) DEPARTMENT, GOVT. SECRETARIAT, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, PIN – 695 001 BY ADVS.K.K.SATHISH ADV.C.S.SHEEJA ADV.K.P.HARISH, SR.G.P. THIS WRIT APPEAL HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 23.11.2022, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: WA NO. 818 OF 2022 :: 2 :: ## JUDGMENT Dated this the 23[rd] day of November 2022 ## S.MANIKUMAR, C.J. This writ appeal is filed by the Union of India, represented by the Deputy Secretary to the Government, Ministry of Home Affairs, Freedom Fighters’ Division, New Delhi, respondent in the writ petition, challenging the judgment dated 4.3.2022 in W.P.(C)No.18964/2020. 2. By the impugned judgment, learned Single Judge directed the appellant to take necessary steps to disburse Swatantrata Sainik Samman Pension (freedom fighter’s pension) to the petitioner, without any further delay. 3. Relevant portions of the judgment impugned in this writ appeal are extracted hereunder: “5. The petitioner's application has been rejected under Ext.P14 essentially for the reason that, record based primary evidence has not been produced to substantiate that the petitioner's husband had undergone imprisonment/detention. 6. Ext.P1 is the true extract of the convict register of the Central Prison, Thiruvananthapuram relating to the petitioner's husband. Ext.P1 gives the details regarding the period of imprisonment undergone by him and also the offence for which he underwent imprisonment. As is evident from Ext.P1, it has been issued by the Superintendent of the WA NO. 818 OF 2022 :: 3 :: Central Prison, Thiruvananthapuram, certifying it to be the true extract of the Convict Register. When the document has been so certified, prima facie there is no reason to suspect its genuineness. That apart the petitioner's husband was granted pension from the State for his participation in the Punnapra-Vayalar struggle. Ext.P2 is the proceedings of the District Collector in the said regard along with the enquiry report submitted by the Tahsildar. In the enquiry report, the participation of the petitioner's husband in Punnapra-Vayalar Struggle, his arrest and imprisonment for a period of one and a half years etc. are all recorded. In connection with the 25th Anniversary of India's Independence, as declared by the Government of India, the surviving freedom fighters were recognized and honoured by distributing 'Thamara Pathras'. The petitioner's husband was one among the said recipients. The evidentiary value of Ext.P1 certificate and also of the corroborative materials noted above, have not been considered by the authorities. 7. In the light of the above, no further materials are necessary to hold that late V.K.Gangadharan alias Kunjan Gangadharan was a freedom fighter and had undergone imprisonment for a period of one and a half years in connection with freedom struggle, and that the petitioner who is his widow is entitled for the SSS pension. 8. Seeking payment of pension, the petitioner had been after the authorities since the year 1998. She was required to approach this Court earlier on more than one occasions. There is no justification for further protracting her claim for the SSS pension. 9. Accordingly Ext.P14 order is quashed. It is declared that the petitioner, as the widow of late V.K.Gangadharan alias Kunjan Gangadharan, is entitled for SSS pension from the date of Ext.P4 application dated 25.04.1998. The first respondent shall take necessary steps to have the pension disbursed without any further delay.” WA NO. 818 OF 2022 :: 4 :: 4. Brief facts leading to the filing of the writ petition are that; petitioner/respondent No.1 herein has filed the writ petition challenging Exhibit P14 order dated 3.2.2020 issued by the appellant herein and seeking for a declaration that she is entitled to get the benefit of Swatantrata Sainik Samman Pension (SSS Pension), due to her late husband. 5. Writ petitioner has stated that her husband was a freedom fighter, who had actively participated in Punnapra - Vayalar Movement. On account of his participation, he was convicted and sentenced to undergo simple imprisonment for one year and six months R.I. under Sections 103 Cr.P.C. and 9(5) of Act 1 of 1122, as evidenced by ExhibitP1 Jail Certificate issued by the Superintendent of Central Prison, Thiruvananthapuram. Therefore, he was entitled to the benefit of SSS Pension. 6. Writ petitioner has further stated that her husband was the holder of ‘Thamarapathra’ and also the recipient of State Pension. He expired on 30-10-1993. Pursuant to the recognition of Punnapara-Vayalar Movement, writ petitioner made an application dated 25.04.1998, wherein she claimed about the sufferings undergone by her husband late Sri. WA NO. 818 OF 2022 :: 5 :: V.K.Gangadharan alias Kunjan Gangadharan at the time of imprisonment. 7. The grievance of the writ petitioner is that though the State Government as per Exhibit-P13 communication dated 27.11.2019 issued by the Principal Secretary to Government addressed to the Director, Government of India, has recommended her claim for SSS Pension, appellant has rejected the same, completely ignoring the basic principles/objectives of the SSS Pension Scheme. In such circumstances, respondent No.1 herein has filed W.P. (C)No.18964 of 2020 for the following reliefs: “i) declare that the petitioner is entitled to get the benefit of ‘Swatantrata Sainik Samman Pension’ (SSS Pension) due to her late husband with the actual arrears due to her from the date of Ext.P5 application; ii) call for the records leading to the issue of Ext.P14 and quash its original by issuance of a writ of certiorari. iii) issue a writ of mandamus or other appropriate writ, direction or order, compelling the 1[st] respondent to grant the benefit of dependent family pension under the SSS Pension Scheme to the petitioner on the basis of Ext.P13 recommendation report made by the 2[nd] respondent with the actual arrears due to her from the date of Ext.P4 application dated 25.4.1998, within a stipulated time.” WA NO. 818 OF 2022 :: 6 :: 8. Refuting the averments in the writ petition, appellant herein has filed a counter affidavit. 9. After considering the facts, submissions and the statutory provisions of Act, 1 of 1122, viz., Travancore Emergency Powers Act, 1122 (ME), vide the impugned judgment, writ court has allowed the writ petition, as extracted above. 10. Being aggrieved, instant writ appeal has been filed by the first respondent before the writ court, Union of India. 11. Heard the learned counsel for the parties and perused the material on record. 12. The issues raised in the writ appeal have been decided by us in the judgment dated 25.08.2022 in W.A. Nos.122 & 1691 of 2019. Operative portion of the said judgment is reproduced: “48. As regards the first ground for rejecting the claim of the respondent, as rightly observed by the writ court, there was no dispute as regards the authenticity and correctness of the jail certificate issued by the Superintendent of Central Prison, Thiruvananthapuram, produced as Exhibit-P1 in W.P. (C) No.36191/2018 dated 20.07.1972. Perusal of Exhibit-P1 extract of convict register shows that the case in which the husband of the respondent was WA NO. 818 OF 2022 :: 7 :: convicted and sentenced is the one in relation to C.C. No.238/1124 ME on the file of the Divisional First Class magistrate's Court, Alappuzha for offenses under Section 9(5) of the Travancore Emergency powers Act, 1122. That apart, going through the letter dated 4.3.2014, produced as Exhibit-P8, it could be deduced that the State Government has verified the genuineness of the extract of Exhibit-P1 convict register through the Superintendent, Central Prison, Thiruvananthapuram, and he had certified it to be genuine. 49. Further, it is evident from Exhibit-P8 letter that, to substantiate the claim of the respondent, she has produced the true extract of the convict register, in original, wherein the date of admission of Mr. Bava Haridas, her husband, date of expiry of sentence; that he was released on 26.01.1950 under the order of Government; though the period of imprisonment is below six months, he was sentenced for six months; that remission of a period upto 30 days in a sentence of six months should be taken into consideration, etc., were stated. In fact, the husband of the respondent was also awarded thamrapathra by the Union Government, based on the recommendation of the State Government, on account of participation in the Punnapra-Vayalar movement. 50. Though it is stated in the letter dated 17.03.2015 by the State Government that on verification of the available convict judgment registers, the details regarding C.C. No.238/1124 ME are not available, and therefore, it is unable to mention that CC. No.238/1124 ME is pertinent to Punnapra Vayalar struggle, the said letter does not contain a specific verification and entitlement report. However, in Exhibit-P8 letter dated 4.3.2014, the State Government has stated that the primary evidence and jail certificate/convict register, relied on by the respondent are genuine and hence, his case is positively recommended for grant of SSS Pension. As rightly observed by the WA NO. 818 OF 2022 :: 8 :: learned single Judge, merely because the State Government has not reiterated the factual aspects in Exhibit-P12, cannot be a sole ground for rejecting the claim of the respondent. 51. In Gurdial Singh v. Union of India , [(2001) 8 SCC 8], the Hon’ble Supreme Court had occasion to consider a case where, for determination of eligibility, standard of proof is required for, and held that since the object of the Scheme is to honour and to mitigate the sufferings of the freedom fighters, a liberal and not a technical approach should be adopted and hence, a claim under the Scheme should be determined on the basis of probabilities and not by applying the test of “beyond reasonable doubt”. Relevant portion of the said judgment reads thus: “6. The Scheme was introduced with the object of providing grants of pension to living freedom fighters and their families and to the families of martyrs. It has to be kept in mind that millions of masses of this country had participated in the freedom struggle without any expectation of grant of any scheme at the relevant time. It has also to be kept in mind that in the partition of the country most of the citizens who suffered imprisonment were handicapped to get the relevant record from the jails where they had suffered imprisonment. The problem of getting the record from a foreign country is very cumbersome and expensive. Keeping in mind the object of the Scheme, the authorities concerned are required that in appreciating the Scheme for the benefit of freedom fighters a rational and not a technical approach is required to be adopted. It has also to be kept in mind that the claimants of the Scheme are supposed to be such persons who had given the best part of their life for the country. This Court in Mukund Lal Bhandari case [1993 Supp (3) SCC 2] observed: (SCC pp. 7-8, para 9). “The object in making the said relaxation was not to reward or compensate for the sacrifices WA NO. 818 OF 2022 :: 9 :: made in the freedom struggle. The object was to honour and where it was necessary, also to mitigate the sufferings of those who had given their all for the country in the hour of its need. In fact, many of those who do not have sufficient income to maintain themselves refuse to take benefit of it, since they consider it as an affront to the sense of patriotism with which they plunged in the freedom struggle. The spirit of the Scheme being both to assist and honour the needy and acknowledge the valuable sacrifices made, it would be contrary to its spirit to convert it into some kind of a programme of compensation. Yet that may be the result if the benefit is directed to be given retrospectively whatever the date the application is made. The Scheme should retain its high objective with which it was motivated. It should not further be forgotten that now its benefit is made available irrespective of the income limit. Secondly, and this is equally important to note, since we are by this decision making the benefit of the Scheme available irrespective of the date on which the application is made, it would not be advisable to extend the benefit retrospectively. Lastly, the pension under the present Scheme is not the only benefit made available to the freedom fighters or their dependents. The preference in employment, allotment of accommodation and in admission to schools and colleges to their kith and kin etc. are also the other benefits which have been made available to them for quite sometime now.” The Court categorically mentioned that the pension under the Scheme should be made payable from the date on which the application is made whether it is accompanied by necessary proof of eligibility or not. 7. The standard of proof required in such cases is not such standard which is required in a criminal case or in a case adjudicated upon rival contentions or evidence of the parties. As the object of the Scheme is to honour and to WA NO. 818 OF 2022 :: 10 :: mitigate the sufferings of those who had given their all for the country, a liberal and not a technical approach is required to be followed while determining the merits of the case of a person seeking pension under the Scheme. It should not be forgotten that the persons intended to be covered by the Scheme had suffered for the country about half-a-century back and had not expected to be rewarded for the imprisonment suffered by them. Once the country has decided to honour such freedom fighters, the bureaucrats entrusted with the job of examining the cases of such freedom fighters are expected to keep in mind the purpose and object of the Scheme. The case of the claimants under this Scheme is required to be determined on the basis of the probabilities and not on the touchstone of the test of “beyond reasonable doubt”. Once on the basis of the evidence it is probabilised that the claimant had suffered imprisonment for the cause of the country and during the freedom struggle, a presumption is required to be drawn in his favour unless the same is rebutted by cogent, reasonable and reliable evidence. 8. We have noticed with disgust that the respondent authorities have adopted a hypertechnical approach while dealing with the case of a freedom fighter and ignored the basic principles/objectives of the Scheme intended to give the benefit to the sufferers in the freedom movement. The contradictions and discrepancies, as noticed hereinabove, cannot be held to be material which could be made the basis of depriving the appellant of his right to get the pension. The case of the appellant has been disposed of by ignoring the mandate of law and the Scheme. The impugned order also appears to have been passed with a biased and closed mind, completely ignoring the verdict of this Court in Mukund Lal Bhandari's case [1993 Supp (3) SCC 2]. We further feel that after granting the pension to the appellant, the respondents were not justified in rejecting his claim on the basis of WA NO. 818 OF 2022 :: 11 :: material which already existed, justifying the grant of pension in his favour. The appellant has, unnecessarily, been dragged to litigation for no fault of his. The High Court has completely ignored its earlier judgments in Mohan Singh v. Union of India [ CWP No. 3790 of 1994 (HC)] decided on 1-6-1995 and CWP No. 14442 of 1995 decided on 11-12-1995. 10. Accordingly the appeal is allowed by setting aside the order of the High Court impugned in this appeal and the order of the respondents dated 1-11-2000 (Annexure P-14). The appellant is held entitled to the grant of pension by the State of Punjab and the Union Government as determined vide Annexures P-9 and P-10 but with effect from March,1996. The arrears shall be calculated and paid to the appellant positively within a period of six weeks from today, failing which he is held entitled to interest at the rate of 12% per annum from March 1996 till the date the arrears are actually paid. The appellant is also held entitled to the payment of costs quantified at Rs. 5000.” 52. A Hon’ble Division Bench of this Court in Union of India v. Janakidas reported in 2010 (1) KLT SN 79 (C. No.95) held that no individual citizen can be denied pensionary benefits under the scheme on any ground referable to delay by the State Government in forwarded papers to the Union of India. Relevant portion of the said decision is extracted hereunder: “7. We may notice that even among the fundamental duties of citizens, enumerated in Article 51A of the Constitution, particularly Clauses (b) and (d) thereof, every citizen of India is duty bound to cherish and follow the noble ideals which inspired our national struggle for freedom; and to defend the country and render national service when called upon to do so. We are considering the case of a person who, though now no more, had done what is cherished in Article 51A of the Constitution, long before India became free. Therefore, in WA NO. 818 OF 2022 :: 12 :: fact, there is no ground even for the Union of India to show that any delay that the State Government had committed in forwarding the papers should be considered against the interest of the petitioner for granting pension under the SSSP Scheme. The State Government and the Union Government are the executive limbs of the People of India as a Republican Nation and no individual citizen can be denied pensionary benefits referable to the SSSP Scheme, 1980 on any ground referable to the delay by the State Government in forwarding the papers to the Union of India. If such grounds were to be accepted, in our view, that will not serve, but defeat, the purpose sought to be achieved by the Scheme in question. We are also of the view that, what is indicative as the prime concept of the requirement of providing pension under the SSSP Scheme to the freedom fighter and family members, is part of the process by which the Nation follows the noble ideals which inspired those involved in the struggle for freedom.” 53. In Kamalbai Sinkar v. State of Maharashtra reported in (2012) 11 SCC 754, after considering the decision in Gurdial Singh (cited supra), the Hon’ble Supreme Court held as under: “6. Having perused the above materials on record, at the very outset, we wish to refer to the observations made by this Court in regard to the grant of freedom fighters' pension in the decision in Gurdial Singh v. Union of India [(2001) 8 SCC 8]. In para 7 of the judgment, this Court has highlighted the manner in which such claims are to be considered for grant of freedom fighters' pension. It will be worthwhile to make a reference to the said passage before expressing our conclusion with regard to the claim of the appellant's husband in the case on hand. 7. Para 7 reads as under: ( Gurdial Singh case [(2001) 8 SCC 8] , SCC p. 14) - “7. The standard of proof required in such WA NO. 818 OF 2022 :: 13 :: cases is not such standard which is required in a criminal case or in a case adjudicated upon rival contentions or evidence of the parties. As the object of the Scheme is to honour and to mitigate the sufferings of those who had given their all for the country, a liberal and not a technical approach is required to be followed while determining the merits of the case of a person seeking pension under the Scheme. It should not be forgotten that the persons intended to be covered by the Scheme had suffered for the country about half-a-century back and had not expected to be rewarded for the imprisonment suffered by them. Once the country has decided to honour such freedom fighters, the bureaucrats entrusted with the job of examining the cases of such freedom fighters are expected to keep in mind the purpose and object of the Scheme. The case of the claimants under this Scheme is required to be determined on the basis of the probabilities and not on the touchstone of the test of ‘beyond reasonable doubt’. Once on the basis of the evidence it is probabilised that the claimant had suffered imprisonment for the cause of the country and during the freedom struggle, a presumption is required to be drawn in his favour unless the same is rebutted by cogent, reasonable and reliable evidence.” (emphasis added) 54. The entire aspect of the matter was considered by the learned single Judge while passing the impugned judgment and directions were issued taking into account the provisions of Scheme, 1980, as well as the parameters required for the grant of SSS Pension to the eligible persons. 55. In sum and substance, the issues were elaborately considered by the learned single Judge, taking into account all the relevant materials, and we are of the clear opinion that WA NO. 818 OF 2022 :: 14 :: there is no reason to interfere with the observations and findings made by the learned single Judge in the impugned judgments. 56. On a totality of the facts and circumstances, we have no hesitation to hold that the appellant has not made out a case of jurisdictional error or other legal infirmities, justifying interference in the judgments under appeals, dated 9.7.2018 and 29.11.2018 of the learned single Judge. In the result, appeals fail and accordingly, they are dismissed.” 13. The findings and observations made in the judgment dated 25.8.2022 in W.A.Nos.122 and 1691 of 2019 would govern this writ appeal as well. In view of the above, this writ appeal is dismissed. SD/S.MANIKUMAR CHIEF JUSTICE SD/SHAJI P. CHALY JUDGE jes