New Delhi, Oct. 15 -- The Andhra Pradesh High Court has directed the state authorities to pay a widow pension arrears from the date of her application, ruling that an eligible beneficiary cannot be deprived of benefits because officials delayed processing her claim.

In Tadisetti Tirupatamma v. State of Andhra Pradesh & Others (Writ Petition No. 31325 of 2024), Justice K. Sreenivasa Reddy held on 3 September 2026 that administrative delays and policy-related restrictions could not be used to deny pension benefits to a woman whose eligibility was undisputed.

The court directed the authorities to calculate and pay the arrears from 16 March 2024, when the woman applied for widow pension, until the commencement of regular monthly payments. A...