Will the 'live-in partner' of a government employee also receive family pension after his death? Will they get healthcare benefits? In the current social context, the Delhi High Court has given major directions to the Centre on this matter.
At the centre of the incident is a retired government employee. His first wife had left him without giving him a divorce. After that, he was in a live-in relationship with another woman for more than 40 years. They also have two children.
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But after wanting to include his partner as 'wife' and their children's names in the pension documents, the sword of punishment fell upon him. The authorities withheld 50 percent of his monthly pension and gratuity on charges of 'serious misconduct'. The Central Administrative Tribunal or CAT had also upheld this decision.
Court finds no concealment or misconduct
However, the bench of Delhi High Court Justice Navin Chawla and Justice Madhu Jain recently dismissed that verdict. The court's clear observation, the employee never concealed his relationship. Rather, he always maintained transparency about this relationship. Therefore, it cannot be called 'misconduct' or 'fraud'.
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The court has directed, the outstanding pension along with 6 percent interest must be settled immediately. At the same time, the court has directed the government to seriously reconsider including the names of the employee's live-in partner and children as beneficiaries of family pension and CGHS or government health scheme benefits. Legal experts believe this court verdict will be extremely significant for the legal recognition of live-in relationships in the near future.
