Government employee cannot be denied medical reimbursement due to delay

MADRUAI: The Madras High Court bench here has ruled that a government employee could not be denied medical reimbursement just because he had delayed the claim.

Justice Vinod Kumar Sharma, allowing a writ petition by S Govinda Rao, said the 60 day period (for applying) prescribed by the government in an August 8 2000 letter could not be held mandatory to deny the right of reimbursement to which the employee was entitled under service rules.

He quashed the Thanjavur District Elementary Educational Officer's May 10, 2005 order, rejecting the petitioner's plea for reimbursement and directed the official to process the application and release the payment within two months.

The Petitioner said he underwent the surgery in a hospital in Thanjavur district in March 1999 and filed the claim on Jun 16,1999, seeking reimbursement of 75 per cent of the expenses recurred on the surgery.