HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT ALLAHABAD LUCKNOW WRIT - C No. - 10967 of 2025 Court No. - 3 HON'BLE SHEKHAR B. SARAF, J. HON'BLE MANJIVE SHUKLA, J. 1. This is a petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India wherein the petitioner is aggrieved by the impugned order dated 08.05.2025 passed by the Opposite Party No. 3 i.e. Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Tehsil - Sadar, District - Ayodhya who has rejected the claim of the petitioner for ex-gratia payment of Rs. 4,00,000/- on the ground that it is not conclusive that the deceased died of snake bite. 2. Upon perusal of the panchnama and the post-mortem report, it appears that the deceased has died of a suspected snake bite. There is nothing on record to disprove the panchnama that is being filed by the petitioner, as well as, the post-mortem report. 3. In light of the above, we are of the view that the stand of the petitioner that the death of the deceased took place due to snake bite cannot be brushed aside. We are also of the view that the benefit of doubt must go to the petitioner and accordingly, the Opposite Party No. 2 / concerned authority is directed to provide the ex-gratia payment to the petitioner within a period of eight weeks from date. 4. The writ petition is disposed of in the aforesaid terms. November 18, 2025 Lokesh Kumar Versus Counsel for Petitioner(s) : Jitendra Bahadur Singh Counsel for Respondent(s) : C.S.C. (Manjive Shukla,J.) (Shekhar B. Saraf,J.) Ram Sinhasan Maurya .....Petitioner(s) State Of U.P. Thru. Addl. Chief Secy. Deptt. Of Revenue Lko And 2 Others .....Respondent(s) Digitally signed by :- LOKESH KUMAR High Court of Judicature at Allahabad, Lucknow Bench