A 92-year-old widow has approached the Karnataka High Court after the freedom fighter’s pension granted by the Government of India in honour of her late husband was discontinued in 2019.
Justice Sachin Shankar Magadum on Wednesday issued notice to the Central government, the State government, and Union Bank of India, seeking their response in the matter.During the hearing, counsel for the State submitted that the State government has continued to release its share of the pension and that the stoppage pertained only to the Central government’s contribution.
Appearing for the petitioner, Advocate Srinivasa K stated that her husband, G. Ramaiah, was a recognised freedom fighter who received the Tamra Patra award in 1972. In 1973, the Central government sanctioned him a freedom fighter’s pension in recognition of his contributions. After his death in 2000, the pension continued to be paid to his wife as a family pension.
The petitioner stated that she regularly received both Central and State pensions until February 2019. However, while the State component continued, the Central pension was abruptly stopped from March 2019 without any formal order or communication.
The plea further noted that despite repeated representations, no effective steps were taken to restore the pension. It added that in July 2019, the District Treasury Officer reported that the freedom fighter’s pension book had been misplaced and sought issuance of a duplicate.
Between 2019 and 2022, several communications were exchanged between government authorities and the bank, but the pension was not resumed. In September 2025, the Central government, in response to a legal notice, directed the bank to release the pension.
However, as the bank failed to credit the arrears of the family pension, the widow approached the High Court seeking relief. In her petition, she stated that she is bedridden and has no dependents, and sought directions for restoration of her Central government pension.
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