The Chhattisgarh High Court has directed state authorities to strictly follow the newly issued timeline for processing medical reimbursement claims of government employees, after an assistant teacher approached the court over a pending claim.
Virendra Kumar Manhar, an Assistant Teacher (LB) posted in Korba, filed a writ petition seeking reimbursement of Rs. 68,380. The amount covered the treatment expenses for his son, who was admitted to Apollo Hospital, Bilaspur from 12 to 14 May 2025. Although the Chief Medical and Health Officer had certified the claim and the eligible amount had been sanctioned under applicable CGHS rates, the reimbursement did not progress beyond the Block Education Officer’s office.
During the hearing, the court recorded the presence of Dr. U. S. Painkra, Director of Medical Education, who informed that a detailed circular had been issued on 11 November 2025. The circular outlined a step-by-step schedule for processing medical reimbursement claims, prescribing clear deadlines at each stage to avoid delays. The court reproduced the circular in its order and noted that the petitioner’s documents had been forwarded to the Directorate, which identified minor errors that would be corrected soon.
Justice Narendra Kumar Vyas disposed of the petition with a direction that officials must strictly follow the timeline set out in the new circular. He emphasized that government employees should not face unnecessary delays in receiving reimbursement for legitimate medical expenses, and warned that any attempt by officials to bypass or ignore the schedule would be viewed seriously by the court. The judge also acknowledged the efforts of Dr. Painkra in addressing the backlog of pending reimbursement cases.
Case No. : WPS No. 11788 of 2025, Virendra Kumar Manhar vs State pf chhattisgarh and Others
