Delhi High Court: Wife Entitled to Family Pension Despite Pending Matrimonial Disputes

The Delhi High Court has ruled that a wife cannot be denied family pension after her husband's death merely because of pending matrimonial disputes.

A bench of Justices Navin Chawla and Madhu Jain held that until a divorce is finalised, the right to pension survives.

The Court directed that petitioner Soni Devi, whose husband died in 2009, must receive a pension from the date of death, not just from her application in 2013. 

The arrears are to be paid with interest within four months. The Centre's objections citing delay and disputes were rejected.

[Soni Devi v Union of India]