Puppala Radha vs The Singareni Collieries Company Ltd. & Ors.

Heard Sri Tarun Ram Aitham, learned counsel for the petitioner and Sri C.Raman Kumar Reddy, learned Standing Counsel for the Singareni Collieries Company Limited appearing for the respondent Nos.1 to 7. Perused the material available on record.

This writ petition is filed questioning the action of the official respondents in not issuing medical referral letters to the petitioner for her treatment of Post-Operative Carcinoma of the Breast, in spite of her representation dated 07.07.2026, as illegal and arbitrary and consequently, to direct the respondent Nos.1 to 7 to issue medical referral letter to the petitioner for her treatment of Post-Operative Carcinoma of the Breast by considering the representation dated 07.07.2026 submitted by the petitioner.

Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the petitioner is the wife of the respondent No.8, who is working as an employee in the respondent-Company at the KPUG mine, Manuguru area, falling under the jurisdiction of the respondent Nos.4 and 5. The petitioner is the legally wedded wife of the respondent No.8 and has not obtained a divorce from the respondent No.8 and the petitioner's name is also reflected in the service records of the respondent No.8 as his wife. There are marital disputes between the petitioner and the respondent No.8. Due to said disputes, the petitioner filed DVC No.14 of 2020 on the file of learned II Additional Judicial Magistrate of First Class, Khammam and the same was partly allowed on 03.04.2023. Subsequently, the respondent No.8 filed Criminal Appeal No.18 of 2023 on the file of learned Judge. Family court cum IV Additional Sessions Judge, Khammam which was dismissed on 06.03.2024, upholding the order of the learned trial Court in DVC No.14 of 2020 dated 03.04.2023. While it being so, the petitioner was diagnosed with carcinoma right breast in the year 2020. As per the Rules of the respondent-Company, the dependents of an employee of the respondent-Company are entitled to medical treatment under the SCCL Medical Attendance Rules. Being the spouse of the respondent No.8, the petitioner is entitled for medical treatment. In view of the same, the petitioner made an application to the respondent No.4 on 03.07.2020. In response to the same, the respondent No.4 addressed a letter vide Ref.No.MNG/PER/18/1450 dated 07.07.2020, directing the respondent No.6 to approve medical referral letters for the medical treatment of the petitioner and now, they have stopped issuing medical referral letter to the petitioner. In view of the same, the petitioner made a representation dated 07.07.2026, in spite of the same, they are not considering the case of the petitioner. Therefore, learned counsel requests this Court to dispose of the writ petition by directing the respondent Nos.1 to 7 to issue medical referral letters to the petitioner for her treatment of Post-Operative Carcinoma of the Breast.

Learned Standing Counsel for SCCL appearing for the respondent Nos.1 to 7, basing on the written instructions, submits that the respondents have issued the medical referral letters to the petitioner in the past, but the respondent No.8, who is the husband of the petitioner, is not cooperating with the authorities by not providing the Aadhaar-based identification/updation of records. In view of the same, the respondents are unable to issue medical referral letters to the petitioner. Moreover, as per the records, the petitioner is the spouse of the respondent No.8 and the respondents will issue medical referral letters to the petitioner for the medical treatment as the spouse of the employee. However, if the respondent No.8 produces a certificate of dissolution of marriage, the petitioner is not entitled for any benefit under the SCCL Medical Attendance Rules. Therefore, learned Standing Counsel requested this Court to pass appropriate orders.

Recording the submissions made by both sides, this Writ Petition is disposed of, directing the respondent Nos.1 to 7 to issue medical referral letters to the petitioner as per SCCL Medical Attendance Rules without insisting upon No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the respondent No.8 or the Aadhaar based identification/updation of records of the respondent No.8, till the dissolution of the marriage between the petitioner and the respondent No.8.

Miscellaneous petitions, if any, pending in this Writ Petition shall stand closed. There shall be no order as to costs.