S Selva Rani v. State Bank Of India And ANR

IN THE HIGH COURT AT CALCUTTA

[ CIRCUIT BENCH AT PORT BLAIR ] *** WPA/538/2025 S. Selva Rani Vs.

State Bank of India and Another Mr. Gopala Binnu Kumar .... for the petitioner Ms. Shipra Mondal ... for the respondent no.1 November 28, 2025 [SR] Item No.1 Heard Mr. Gopala Binnu Kumar, learned counsel appearing for the petitioner and also Ms. Shipra Mondal, learned counsel appearing for the respondent no.1/State Bank of India, Manglutan Branch, Sri Vijaya Puram. None appears on behalf of the respondent no.2, despite service of notice. This Court, on 26th November, 2025 had fixed the matter today to permit the respondent no.2 to make appearance. It was further ordered that if the respondent no.2 does not make its appearance, the matter would be taken up ex parte against the respondent no.2.

The petitioner is the daughter of Late Smt. K. Saroja, who was holding Savings Bank Account No.11788957799 under the respondent no.1/State Bank of India, Manglutan Branch, Sri Vijaya Puram.

It is the case of the petitioner that the Government of India, in the year 2015 launched the Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojna (PMSBY in short) and accordingly the mother of the

petitioner opened an Insurance Policy under the said scheme having Master Policy No.37020442158200000256. The mother of the petitioner also paid premium in respect of the said policy from 14.07.2018 to 16.05.2021. On early morning of 11.08.2021, due to heavy rain which was followed by cyclone and heavy wind, a Banyan tree was uprooted and fell over the house of the petitioner due to which two of the family members of the petitioner, namely, the petitioner's mother and elder daughter of the petitioner succumbed to death.

After the death of the petitioner's mother on 11th August, 2025, the petitioner submitted claim petition for incurrence under the PMSBY on 8th September, 2025 before the respondent no.1 giving the full details including her bank account, date of death, death certificate, postmortem certificate and other connected documents pertaining to unnatural death of the petitioner's mother namely; Late K. Saroja. Thereafter, the respondent no.1 returned back the duly filled up form to the petitioner and asking her to submit the same before the respondent no.2/ National Insurance Company,1st Floor, Raj Complex,Opposite DBRAIT Polytechnic College, Dolly Gunj, Port Blair - 744103.

Accordingly, the petitioner submitted the same before the respondent no.2 on 20th September, 2021 which was duly acknowledged by the respondent no.2 on 06.12.2021. However, till date, the respondent no.2 has not disposed of the claim

application made by the petitioner. Hence, the present writ petition.

Ms. Shipra Mondal, learned counsel appearing for the respondent no.1 submits that the respondent no.1, by an email, had sent a reminder to the respondent no.2 on 20.11.2025 stating that the petitioner has not been updated with the claim status and to give the present status of the claim to the respondent no.1. Despite reminder sent by the respondent no.1, the respondent no.2 has not taken any steps. After hearing the learned counsel for the petitioner and the respondent no. 1, this writ petition is disposed of directing the respondent no.2 to forthwith take steps for consideration of the claim petition made by the petitioner within a period of two weeks in accordance with law, from the date of receipt of the certified true copy of this order. The petitioner shall thereafter be also informed about the outcome of such consideration forthwith.

The writ petition is disposed of.

Parties to act on the server copy of this order downloaded from the official website of this Court.

( Lanusungkum Jamir, J. )