Government of the Punjab, Finance Department issued a Notification on 15-03-2021 in connection with Grant of Family Pension to the Eldest Family Member of a deceased Government servant/pensioner. The details are as under:
I am directed to refer to the subject noted above.
- Rule-4, 10 of the Punjab Civil Services Pension Rules provides that the “eldest” surviving eligible family member of deceased Government servant/pensioners is entitled to a grant of family pension. A question has arisen: Where more than one widowed daughters/ divorced daughters / unmarried sisters / widowed sisters / divorced sisters of a deceased Government servant/prisoners are surviving, who is to be treated eligible for grant of family pension, the one who is the eldest in terms of age or the one who is widowed/divorced for a longer period of time.
- The matter has been examined in the Finance Department and it is clarified that the word “eldest” in Rule 4,10 of the Punjab Civil Services Pension Rules means “eldest in terms of age”.
The clarification is that if there is more than one family member i.d divorced daughters, sisters, etc, the member who is younger in age, is eligible for family pension. Suppose a member is 28 years age and the other is 26, the 26 years old pension will get the pension.
Lahore High Court has held in WP 69226 of 2017 that all sisters, irrespective of their being elder or younger, are equally eligible for family pension, as they are equally placed citizens under Constitution. Federal government has already amended the law on 19 June 2018. Finance Division O.M. No.F.13(16)Reg.6/2017-516 dated 19 June 2018 refers. How can Punjab government still discriminate between sisters with reference to their age or period of remaining widow or divorced ?
Agha Amir
Eldest and oldest are the synonyms. It’s the one who is eldest not the youngest. Your interpretation needs rectification.
meray mutabiq jo sub sey chota haga umer main.