Issuance of Pension Payment Order during pendency of proceedings satisfies the claim for family pensionary benefits.

The applicant, the widow of late Sh. Anil Kumar (a former employee of BSNL), filed an Original Application under Section 19 of the Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985

She sought to set aside communications dated 11.06.2024 and 27.01.2025, which had rejected her claim for family pension, death gratuity, and other terminal benefits following her husband's demise

During the pendency of the proceedings, the respondents placed on record a Pension Payment Order (PPO) issued in favor of the applicant

1. Whether the applicant is entitled to the disbursement of family pension and death gratuity under the Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 1972

2. Whether the grievance raised in the Original Application survives following the issuance of the Pension Payment Order by the respondents

The Tribunal’s jurisdiction was invoked under Section 19 of the Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985

The substantive entitlement of the applicant was governed by the Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 1972, which provide for the grant of family pension and death gratuity to the spouse of a deceased government servant

The Tribunal evaluated the applicant's prayer for the release of terminal benefits against the subsequent actions taken by the respondents.

Upon the respondents producing the Pension Payment Order (PPO) during the hearing, the Tribunal noted that the primary relief sought—the approval and disbursement of pensionary benefits—had been effectively granted

The Tribunal reasoned that since the PPO had been formally issued and placed on record, the core grievance of the applicant stood "substantially addressed," making further adjudication on the merits of the previous rejection letters unnecessary at this stage

Consequently, the Original Application was disposed of as the grievance was resolved

The Tribunal granted liberty to the applicant to agitate any surviving grievances in accordance with the law and ordered no costs