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80-year-old Haryana widow fights 51 years for family pension, high court slams ‘administrative apathy’

Punjab and Haryana High Court directs the state electricity department to personally verify and release all dues to Laxmi Devi within two months.

3 min readUpdated: Nov 19, 2025 02:18 PM IST

High Court rescues an 80-year-old illiterate widow who endured a 51-year struggle for her deceased husband's pension and retirement benefits from the Haryana State Electricity Board. (File)

In a strongly worded order, the Punjab and Haryana High Court Friday came to the rescue of an 80-year-old illiterate widow who has been running from pillar to post since 1974 for the family pension and retirement benefits of her husband, a lineman who died in harness.

Laxmi Devi’s husband, Maha Singh, died on January 5, 1974, while working as a Sub-Station Officer with the then Haryana State Electricity Board. Though she received a small ex gratia payment of Rs 6,026 in the 1970s, the family pension, gratuity and other dues were never released despite decades of correspondence and an earlier court case in 2005.

Justice Harpreet Singh Brar, while hearing the writ petition on November 14, described the case as “a saga of administrative apathy and a persistent struggle for rightful dues” that revealed “a disheartening and distressing picture of administrative apathy compounded by the petitioner’s advanced age, deteriorating health, and lack of effective legal assistance.”

Commenting on the 51-year ordeal and administrative failure, Justice Brar said, “The petitioner, an illiterate and destitute widow, has been compelled to run from pillar to post for nearly five decades and ultimately approach this court in her struggle to secure the grant of family pension and other retiral benefits of her late husband… The case paints a disheartening and distressing picture of administrative apathy compounded by the petitioner’s advanced age, deteriorating health, and lack of effective legal assistance.”

The court noted that departmental letters showed Maha Singh had been allotted a General Provident Fund (GPF) account and deductions were made, which contradicted the state’s latest claim that he was only under the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) scheme and not entitled to a regular pension.

Justice Brar observed: “Curiously, all departmental communications annexed with the present writ petition indicate that the petitioner is entitled to the relief claimed. Moreover, it is incomprehensible how the deceased could have been allotted a GPF Account Number if he was not covered under the Board’s GPF/Pension Scheme.”

‘Constitutional imperative’

Invoking constitutional compassion, the judge said: “Extending relief to a voiceless 80-year-old widow and securing her rights is thus not a matter of judicial discretion or benevolence; rather, it is a constitutional imperative anchored in the Preamble and Articles 14, 19, and 21 of the Constitution. Whenever courts fail to protect the weakest, the constitutional promise stands diminished. But when they rise to defend them, the transformative spirit of the Constitution shines in its truest form.”

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The court directed the Principal Secretary or the administrative head of the electricity department, Government of Haryana, to personally examine the veracity of Laxmi Devi’s claims within two months and ensure that “all lawful benefits due to the petitioner are released to her forthwith”.

The petition has been disposed of with the hope that the octogenarian widow, now paralysed and living in destitution, will finally receive her long-denied dues.

Manraj Grewal Sharma

Manraj Grewal Sharma is a senior journalist and the Resident Editor of The Indian Express in Chandigarh, where she leads the newspaper’s coverage of north India’s most politically and institutionally significant regions. From Punjab and Haryana to Himachal Pradesh and the Union Territory of Chandigarh, she oversees reporting at the intersection of governance, law, politics and society. She also reports on the diaspora, especially in Canada and the US. With a career spanning journalism across several countries, academia and international development, Manraj brings a rare depth of perspective to regional reporting. She is widely regarded as a leading chronicler of Punjab’s contemporary history and socio-political evolution, particularly its long shadow of militancy, federal tensions and identity politics. Her book, Dreams after Darkness, remains a definitive account of the militancy years and their enduring aftermath. Professional Background & Expertise A gold medalist in mass communication and a post-graduate in English literature, Manraj has a multifaceted career spanning journalism, academia, and international development. She was also awarded a fellowship by National Foundation of India and did several in-depth pieces on Manipur. Internationally, she has reported from Israel, US, UK, Myanmar, and Mauritius Her key focus areas include: Regional Politics, History, Agriculture, Diaspora, and Security. Of late, she has started focusing on Legal & Judicial Affairs: Much of her recent work involves reporting on high-stakes cases in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, ranging from environmental policy to civil rights. International Consulting: She previously served as a consulting editor for the Asia Pacific Adaptation Network and a publishing consultant for the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Manila. Academia: For five years, she was the managing editor of Gender, Technology and Development, a peer-reviewed international journal at the Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent reportage focuses heavily on judicial interventions and regional governance: 1. Environment & Governance "‘NGT can’t test legality of policy’: HC hears challenge to Punjab’s ‘Green Habitat’ plan" (Dec 22, 2025): Covering a critical legal battle over whether the National Green Tribunal has the authority to strike down a state policy regularizing farmhouses on delisted forest land. "High court pulls up Punjab poll panel over audio clip probe" (Dec 10, 2025): Reporting on judicial concerns regarding the transparency and fairness of local body elections. 2. Legal Rights & Social Welfare "HC issues notice to Punjab, Haryana over delay in building old age homes" (Dec 22, 2025): Reporting on a contempt petition against top officials for failing to establish government-run homes for the elderly as promised in 2019. "Victims can appeal acquittals in sessions court without seeking special leave" (Dec 19, 2025): Highlighting a significant procedural shift in criminal law following a Supreme Court ruling. "HC upholds benefits for Punjab FCI officer acquitted in 20-year-old bribery case" (Dec 19, 2025): A report on the concept of "honourable acquittal" and its impact on employee benefits. 3. Human Rights & Identity "As Punjab denies parole to MP Amritpal Singh, HC asks it to submit ‘foundational material’" (Dec 1, 2025): Covering the legal proceedings regarding the radical preacher and sitting MP's request to attend Parliament. "Protecting life paramount: HC backs Muslim woman in live-in after verbal divorce" (Nov 6, 2025): Analyzing judicial protections for personal liberty in the context of traditional practices. Signature Beats Manraj is recognized for her ability to decode complex judicial rulings and relate them to the everyday lives of citizens. Whether it is a 30-year-old land battle in Fazilka or the political implications of Kangana Ranaut’s candidacy in Mandi, her writing provides deep historical and regional context. Contact @grewal_sharma on X manrajgrewalsharma on Instagram ... Read More