Ranjeet Singh & Ors. v. Union of India & Anr.

1. Exemption allowed, subject to all just exceptions.

2. The application stands disposed of accordingly.

3. This petition has been filed by the petitioners praying for a direction to restore the payment of Patient Care Allowance[1] /Hospital “PCA”, hereinafter Patient Care Allowance[2] to the petitioners and to release the arrears of PCA/HPCA, along with interest, to all the petitioners for the period during which the payment of such patient care allowance/hospital has not been made to the petitioners.

4. In support of the prayer made, the petitioners place reliance on the judgments passed by a Division Bench of this Court dated 24 July 2024 in Hemant Kumar and Ors v Sashastra Seema Bal & Anr.3, and dated 13 September 2024 in Kamal Kishore and Ors v Sashastra Seema Bal and Anr[4].

5. Rule, returnable forthwith.

6. Notice is accepted on behalf of the respondents by Mr. Amit Gupta, SPC.

7. With consent of learned Counsel, we dispose of the writ petition along with the pending application by directing the respondents to examine the case of the petitioners for the grant of PCA/HPCA in terms of the eligibility criteria set out in the circular dated 14 August 2020, within a period of four weeks from today.

8. In case they are found eligible for the same, they will be paid PCA/HPCA on a month-to-month basis, and the up-to-date arrears will be paid to them within a period of 12 weeks thereafter. In case the payment is not made within 16 weeks in terms of this order, the same “HPCA”, hereinafter W.P.(C) 601/2023 W.P.(C) 12921/2024 would be payable with interest at 9% P.A.

9. The present petition is disposed of.

C. HARI SHANKAR, J

OM PRAKASH SHUKLA, J AUGUST 5, 2025