Article 51A of the Constitution, particularly Clauses (b) and (d) thereof, every citizen of India is duty bound to cherish and follow the noble ideals which inspired our national struggle for freedom; and to defend the country and render national service when called upon to do so. We are considering the case of a person who, though now no more, had done what is cherished in Article 51A of the Constitution, long before India became free. Therefore, in fact, there is no ground even for the Union of India to show that any delay that the State Government had committed in forwarding the papers should be considered against the interest of the petitioner for granting pension under the SSSP Scheme. The State Government and the Union Government are the executive limbs of the People of India as a Republican Nation and no individual citizen can be denied pensionary benefits referable to the SSSP Scheme, 1980 on any ground referable to the delay by the State Government in forwarding the papers to the Union of India. If such grounds were to be accepted, in our view, that will not serve, but defeat, the purpose sought to be achieved by the Scheme in question. We are also of the view that, what is indicative as the prime concept of the requirement of providing pension under the SSSP Scheme to the freedom fighter and family members, is part of the process by which the Nation follows the noble ideals which inspired those involved in the struggle for freedom.”
