M/S Kumar Distributors Pvt. Ltd. v. The State Of Bihar
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA
Civil Writ Jurisdiction Case No.12725 of 2023 ====================================================== M/s Kumar Distributors Pvt. Ltd. Bailey Road, Near Shaguna More, Patna 801503 (Opp DAV School), through its Director Vikash Kumar Singh, S/o Umeshwar Prasad Singh, Male, aged about 45 years, Resident of Shilawart, North, S.K. Puri, Boring Road, Patna ... Petitioner
Versus
1.
The State of Bihar through the Secretary, Department of Transport, Government of Bihar, New Secretariat, Patna.
2.
The Secretary, Department of Transport, Government of Bihar, New Secretariat, Patna.
3.
State Transport Commissioner, Department of Transport, Government of Bihar, New Secretariat, Patna.
4.
The Officer on Special Duty, Department of Transport, Government of Bihar, New Secretariat, Patna.
5.
District Transport Officer, Patna, Regional Transport Office, Biscomaun Towers, Gandhi Maidan, Patna. ... Respondents ====================================================== Appearance :
For the Petitioner :
Mr.Siddhartha Prasad, Adv.
For the Respondents :
Ms Nutan Kumari Sharma, AC to SC XXI ====================================================== CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE A. ABHISHEK REDDY ORAL ORDER 6 07-08-2025 Heard the parties.
2. The present writ petition has been filed for the following relief(s) :
i. To quash and cancel the Award dated 04.05.2022 passed by Respondent No. 2/Controlling Authority under the Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972 and Assistant Labour Commissioner (Central), Patna, in Case No.- 48/1(27)/2020-ALC-PT by which the said respondent No.2 has directed the petitioner to pay Rs. 7,61,483/- along with simple interest @ 10% (later on amended as 5%) per annum from the date it became payable, as gratuity to the applicant/Respondent no.-1. The said amount has been computed not only on basic salary of the respondent No. 1
2/4 but also on special allowances, which do not fall within the scope of 'basic wages' as defined under the said Act and also for the period when the said applicant was not employed with the petitioner firm:
ii. To quash and cancel the letter dated 10.10.2023 issued by the Dy. Chief Labour Commissioner (Central), Patna by which the memo of appeal had been returned to the petitioner, iii. To quash and cancel the demand notice issued by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate / Tehsildar (Sadar), Lucknow, in pursuance of the Recovery Certificate issued by respondent No. 2.
iv. To issue other appropriate writ(s), direction(s), order(s) as this Hon'ble Court may deem fit and proper in the facts and circumstances of the case.
2. The learned counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioner has drawn the attention of this Court to the counter affidavit filed by the Respondents specifically to paragraph 15 wherein it is specifically stated about the letter written to the District Transport Officer, Patna, vide Letter No. 2504 dated 01.05.2025 (Annexure R/E) wherein it has been averred that the superior authorities may take a suitable decision for refunding the amount to the petitioner as expeditiously as possible. The contentions of the letter are reproduced herein :
3/4 जजलापजरवहनकारारलर, District Transport Office, पजरवहनपजरसरफुलवारीशरीफ, Parivahan Partsar, Phulwari Sharif पटना-800014.
जबहारसरकार Patna-800014.
Email ID-dto-patna-bih@nic.in Email I'D-dto-patna-bih@nic.in दूरभाष 0612220421 Phone: 06122204212 पत्रांक2504/ पजर०पटना, जदनांक-2/5/2025 प्रेषक, जजलापजरवहनपदाजधकारी, पटना। सेवामे.
संरुकतसजचव, पजरवहनजवभाग, जबहार, पटना। जवषर:- कुमारजडसट्रीबरूटसरदाराजवक्रीकेपशचात्जनबंधनहेतु शुलकएवंकरकीजमाराजशकोवापसकरनेकेसंबंधमे। प्रसंग:- आपकापत्रांक-9552, जदनांक-05.08.2024 महाशर, उपरुरकतजवषरकएवंप्रसंगाधीनपत्रकेआलोकमेमैससरआसथा होणडादारा(Application No :BR20033175330470 एवंBR20033185346313) जदनांक-02.05.2025 कोसमरसारं04:19:10 बजे(Compuer generated report की प्रजत) दोनोआवेदनोकोDisposed करजदरागराहै।अतःवतरमानमेवाहनके पकमेकोईभीआवेदनलंजबत/ प्रजक्रराधीननहींहै।चुजकप्रशनगतमामलेमे आवेदक'
कुमारजडसट्रीबरूटसरदारामाननीरउचचनरारालरमेC.WJ.C No12725/2025 दाररजकरागराहैजजसमे माननीरनरारालरदाराजदनांक06.05.2025 कोसुनवाईकीजतजथजनधारजरतहै। अतःअनुरोधहैजकइससंबंधमेकरवापसीकीप्रजक्ररामेअग्रेतर कारवाईअजवलंबकरनेकीकृपाकीजाए, ताजकमाननीरउचचनरारालरमेससमर प्रजतउतरदाररजकराजासके।
4/4 जवशवासभाजन अनु०ः- रथोकत। 2/5/25 जजलापजरवहनपदाजधकारी, पटना।
3. Having regard to the above the present Writ Petition is allowed. The Respondents are directed to return the amount paid by the petitioner as expeditiously as possible preferably within a period of eight weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. The Respondent No. 2, i.e., the Secretary, Department of Transport, Government of Bihar, New Secretariat, Patna, shall take necessary steps for instructing the concerned officer to refund the amount at the earliest.
4. Registry is directed to forward the copy of this order to the Respondent No. 2.
5. With the above directions, the present Writ Petition stands allowed.
(A. Abhishek Reddy , J) Shamshad/- U