Rajani And ANR v. Govt Of NCT Of Delhi
$~175 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI + W.P.(C) 12644/2025 RAJANI AND ANR .....Petitioners Through:
Mr. Naman Jain, Adv., DHCLSC.
versus GOVT OF NCT OF DELHI .....Respondent Through:
Mr. Shiven Verma, Panel Counsel, Mr. Rudraksh Mathur, Adv. for R-1.
CORAM:
HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SACHIN DATTA
O R D E R
% 24.09.2025 1.
The present petition has been filed by the petitioners / Smt. Rajani and Sh. Din Dayal who are aged about 75 years and belong to socio economically disadvantaged background. The petitioners are beneficiaries under the "Vridha Pension Yojana" (Old Age Pension Scheme) formulated by the Government of NCT of Delhi (GNCTD).
2.
The grievance of the petitioners is that since December, 2021, the disbursement of the pension under the aforesaid scheme has been inexplicitly discontinued.
3.
On 03.09.2025, learned counsel for the respondent, who appeared on advance notice informed that the probable reason for discontinuation is that the address of the petitioner, as reflected on the online portal of the GNCTD falls within the North-East District, whereas the pension has earlier been disbursed by the South-East District.
4.
It is submitted by learned counsel for the respondent/s that the aforesaid discrepancy has been departmentally resolved and since the The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above.
petitioners meets the eligibility criteria for receipt of pension, the concerned district where the petitioner is residing i.e. North-East District, shall commence payment of pension to the petitioner for the period 01.11.2025 onwards.
5.
It is further submitted that arrears for the period 01.11.2024 till 31.10.2025 shall also be paid by the North-East District expeditiously. 6.
The above statement is taken on record.
7.
It further transpires during the course of hearing that the pension of the petitioner was stopped w.e.f December, 2021. In response to a query as to payment of the arrears to the petitioner for the period December, 2021 - October, 2024, it is submitted that in terms of an order dated 04.08.2023, issued by the Department of Social Welfare, GNCTD, it has been ordered as under:
"ii. In cases of remittances failure due to non validation of Aadhar /Account or any other technical / non-technical reasons, arrears for a maximum period of year only or actual arrear amount, whichever is less, shall be payable to the beneficiary."
8.
In the present case, since the substantive eligibly of the petitioners for grant of pension is not in dispute, and considering that the petitioners cannot be faulted for the confusion / shortcoming in the regulatory mechanism for payment of pension by the concerned district authorities, and since the responsibility for non-compliance (if any) with technical requirements for payment of pension cannot be fasten on the petitioners, it would be wholly unfair and arbitrary to restrict the payment of the arrears to the petitioner to the aforesaid period.
9.
As such, considering the peculiar facts and circumstances of the present case, it is directed that the arrears of the pension for the period The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above.
December, 2021 till October, 2024 shall also be disbursed to the petitioner/s by the North-East District.
10.
The petition is disposed of in the above terms. SACHIN DATTA, J SEPTEMBER 24, 2025/cl The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above.