Bombay High Court Asks State To Retrospectively Apply GO Allowing Dependent Parents To Avail Family Pension Upon Unmarried Child's Death

The Bombay High Court granted retrospective family pension benefits to parents of a deceased unmarried daughter, ruling that pension denials based on marital status violate constitutional equality principles. Justice Gautam Patel held that the government's differential treatment of unmarried and married deceased employees' families lacks rational nexus. The case involved parents denied pension because their daughter died unmarried at 35. The judgment directs arrears payment from the date of death rather than petition filing, setting an important precedent for social security rights. This progressive interpretation expands family pension eligibility, recognizing evolving societal structures. The ruling may prompt reforms in pension rules that still reflect traditional family assumptions.