AFT rules Satnam Kaur entitled to Jagat Singh's family pension
In a rare move, the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) has decided that Satnam Kaur, who married late Havildar Jagat Singh as his second wife, should still receive his family pension.
Even though their marriage was technically void under the Hindu Marriage Act, the AFT pointed out that Singh's first wife had given her consent, Kaur and Singh lived together for years, and Army records listed her as his wife.
Pension backdated to Feb 10 2017
Singh served in the Army from 1940 to 1961 and married Kaur in 1970 with his first wife's approval. She even signed an affidavit allowing it.
After the first wife passed away in 2017, Kaur's pension claim was initially denied due to rules against plural marriages and the destruction of the old service records.
Now, thanks to the tribunal's ruling, she will get her pension starting from February 10, 2017. If there are delays over three months, authorities have to pay extra interest.