LAW FOR ALL

family pension does not form part of the estate of the deceased and therefore, even an employee has no right to dispose of the same in his Will = the pension is to be given under the provisions of the Scheme and therefore, only the person who is entitled to get the pension as per the Scheme would get it. Similar issue had arisen before this Court in the case of Violet Issaac (Smt.) v. Union of India (1991) 1 SCC 725 and after considering the relevant provisions, this Court came to the conclusion that family pension does not form part of the estate of the deceased and therefore, even an employee has no right to dispose of the same in his Will by giving a direction that someone other than the one who is entitled to it, should be given the same. In the instant case, as per the provisions of the Scheme, the appellant widow is the only family member who is entitled to the pension and therefore, the respondent mother would not get any right in the pension. Of course, it cannot be disputed that if there are other assets left by late Shri Yash Pal, the respondent mother would get 50% share, if late Shri Yash Pal had not prepared any Will and it appears that late Shri Yash Pal had died intestate and no Will had been executed by him. For the aforestated reasons, in our opinion, the High Court committed an error by giving a direction that the respondent mother should also get 50% share in the pension. In view of the aforestated legal position, the entire pension would be payable to the appellant widow. 20. In the circumstances, the impugned order is set aside and it is directed that the pension shall be paid only to the appellant widow and not to the respondent mother.