In Brief
A retired government servant (Shridar Chimurkar) died in 1994 without children. His widow later adopted the appellant in 1996. The appellant claimed family pension, arguing that under Hindu law, the widow's adoption retroactively created a parent-child relationship with the deceased husband. The Supreme Court dismissed the appeal, holding that although Hindu law permits widow adoption, the definition of 'family' under the pension rules is narrowly restricted to those who had direct familial relationships and dependency during the government servant's lifetime. Adoption after the employee's death cannot qualify, as the deceased had no relationship with the adopted child. Rights under Hindu personal law do not automatically translate to entitlements under government pension rules.
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