The Andhra Pradesh High Court has held that a mother is a legal heir and family member of her deceased son even if he was married, and cannot be denied a Family Member Certificate on the ground that only his wife and children can be treated as family members. Setting aside a Tahsildar’s rejection, the Court directed the certificate to be issued to the mother, along with the names of other family members if any, and held that she cannot be made to wait until the widow applies.
The Madras High Court mandated the expedited family pension for the disabled daughter of a former Acting Chief Justice, emphasizing that pensions are legal rights, not charity. The court criticized bureaucratic delays and affirmed that only a medical certificate is needed to process such claims, especially for individuals with disabilities.