Real claimants must be paid HC pulls up India Post over unpaid IVP deposit

The High Court has faulted the postal department for not paying back money deposited under the Indira Vikas Patra Scheme (IVP) to a widow.

Dismissing an appeal by the Post Master of Chirala in Prakasam district, Justice C.N. Nagarjuna Reddy said that the Centre cannot be allowed to unjustly enrich itself at the expense of a private citizen by refusing to pay a bonafide claimant even though the IVP certificates have not been produced.

Voleti Subba Rao, a resident of Chirala, purchased the Indira Vikas Patras in 1991 and died in 1993. His wife Voleti Saya Phani Vardhini found details of the investment in a diary left by her husband. Unable to find the IVPs she informed the postal inspector about the missing IVPs. He directed her to approach the civil court.

The civil court passed an order in her favour, direct- ing the postal department to refund the money. However, the department went in appeal before the appellate court which upheld the court order. The postal authorities then moved the High Court.

Justice Reddy said, “This Court feels that the stand taken by the appellants is unacceptable. A bonafide subscriber to the scheme cannot be made to suffer on account of the ambiguity. The scheme must provide for alternatives regarding payment, in the event, the subscriber or his legal heirs are unable to produce the original IVP.” to declare establishment of liquor belt shops throughout the district, especially in Laxminagar and Gopalapatnam, without permission from government as illegal.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Kalyan Jyoti Sengupta and Justice P.V. Sanjay Kumar was dealing with the PIL by G. Eswaramma, a resident of Visakhapatnam alleging that the excise authorities had been allowing a number of belt shops in the district and also allowing consumption of liquor on the streets, causing problems to the public.

After examining the report, the CJ told the counsel of the petitioner that the authorities had claimed that there were no unauthorised liquor shops in the district.

Differing with the report, the counsel said that they had information that there were 1,200 illegal belt shops in the district. The bench directed him to place the affidavit before court with evidence.