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SHAKUNTLA DEVI versus UNION OF INDIA AND ANR.

Citation: [2005] SUPP. 3 S.C.R. 950 · Decided: 03-10-2005 · Supreme Court of India · Bench: R.C. LAHOTI, G.P. MATHUR, P.K. BALASUBRAMANYAN · Disposal: Dismissed

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Judgment (excerpt)

A 
B 
c 
D 
SHAKUNTLA DEVI 
v. 
UNION OF INDIA AND ANR. 
OCTOBER 3,2005 
[R.C. LAHOTI, CJ., AND G.P. MATHUR AND P.K. 
BALASUBRAMANYAN, JJ.] 
Constitution of lndia,1950: 
Article 32-Freedom Fighters Pension-Claimed in writ petition-Held, 
the case does not call for consideration in exercise of jurisdiction under 
Article 32-Such matters, wherever the petitioners have a genuine grievance, 
can better be dealt with by the High Court-Filing of such petitions in this 
Court directly by invoking Article 32 of the Constitution has to be discouraged. 
CIVIL ORIGINAL JURISDICTION: Writ Petition (C) No. 10 of2005. 
(Under Article 32 of the Constitution of India). 
Madan Mohan Rai, Husband of the Petitioner, Mrs. K. Sarada Devi, 
E (SCLSC) for the Petitioner. 
The following Order of the Court was delivered: 
ORDER 
We have heard Mr. Madan Mohan Rai who states that he is the husband 
F of the petitioner herein. Pursuant to the order dated 25.8.2005 Mrs. K. Sarada 
Devi, Adovcate has been appointed as legal aid counsel for the petitioner. 
She has also been heard by us. 
We have also perused the contents of the writ petition and the documents 
G annexed therewith. We are satisfied that the case does not call for consideration 
in exercise of our jurisdiction under Article 32 of the Constitution of India. 
H 
We are constrained to observe that a number of cases are being filed 
in this Court wherein the petitioners claim themselves to be freedom fighters 
and hence entitled to pension under a scheme framed by the Central 
950 
SHAKUNTLA DEVI v. U.0.1. 
951 
Government. In most of these cases, the State Governments have found the A 
petitioners' not entitled to the grant of such pension and, therefore, their 
cases have not been recommended by the State Governments to the Central 
Government. By filing petitions under Articles 32 of the Constitution before 
this Court the State Governments are being noticed to appear and show cause 
here and also to produce the relevant documents. We feel that such matters, 
wherever the petitioners have a genuine grievance, can better be dealt with B 
by the High Court. Filing of such petitions in this Court directly by invoking 
Article 32 of the Constitution has to be discouraged. 
The writ petition is dismissed with liberty to the petitioner to file an 
appropriate petition in the High Court, if so advised. 
C 
R.P. 
Writ Petition dismissed.