The Punjab and Haryana High Court has asked the Haryana government to decide on a petition filed by a former Indian Navy soldier who was denied the benefits given to gallantry award winners only on the ground that he had left the Navy. Later was working in Delhi.

The issue before the High Court was whether a mere change of residence due to business or employment in another state could deprive the gallantry award winners of Haryana of the benefits granted to them.

The High Court, while disposing of the petition, ordered that the petitioner apply with all supporting documents before the authority for claiming the cash award, as per the applicable policy of Haryana. In the event that any such claim is filed by the petitioner within a period of four weeks, the authority shall pass a reasoned and clear order within a period of four months after giving the petitioner an opportunity to be heard.

If any amount is found payable to the petitioner, the same will be released within a period of two months thereafter.

The bench headed by Justice Vinod S. Bhardwaj passed this order while hearing the petition of Chand Singh, a resident of Rohtak district and a former soldier of the Indian Navy. The petitioner had joined the Indian Navy in 1969 and served there until September 1986. During his service, he was awarded the Nau Sena Medal and was entitled to a cash award, annuity, and monetary grant in lieu of land as per the Gallantry Award Scheme notified by the State of Haryana.

Thereafter, the petitioner joined the Delhi Police in January 1988 and served there till April 2013. The petitioner stated that he was a resident of the State of Haryana, and thus he was entitled to receive annuities and other monetary benefits.

However, the petitioner's eligibility for the grant was rejected on the ground that he had joined the Delhi Police. Challenging the denial of benefits, the petitioner said that he had always been a permanent resident of Haryana and was living in the other state only because of his job.