Nurjahan Khatun v. State Of West Bengal And ORS.

25.01 W.P.A. 1534 of 2023 Nurjahan Khatun -VersusThe State of West Bengal & Ors.

Ct.

No.

akb Mr. Abdul Salam ...For the Petitioner Mr. Tapas Kumar Dey ...For the State Respondents Affidavit-of-Service filed on behalf of the petitioner be taken on record.

The writ petitioner retired from service on superannuation as a librarian of Khutipara Library, Birbhum, Vill. & P.O. Khutipara, P.S. Nanoor, District - Birbhum on December 31, 2019. After her retirement, the revised pension payment order was issued by the authority concerned on March 25, 2022. The petitioner received revised gratuity amount and arrear pensionary benefits on April 13, 2022.

The petitioner's case is that though she retired from service on 31st December, 2019, she received the revised gratuity amount and the amount of pensionary benefits on April 13, 2022. Hence she seeks a direction upon the concerned authority to pay interest to her for the belated payment of revised gratuity and revised pensionary benefits. Learned Counsel appearing for the petitioner submits that getting the pensionary benefits is the legal right of the petitioner and pensionary amount is her property. He further submits that as per the Nationalised Savings Scheme for senior citizens, any deposit is made by a senior citizen now carries interest at the rate of 8% p.a. He further submits that had the petitioner received his pensionary benefits in time, the amount, which she would have received, would carry interest at the rate of 8% p.a. As such learned Counsel for

the petitioner prays for interest at the rate of 8% p.a. Having heard learned counsel appearing for the parties and on consideration of the documents annexed to the writ petition, I feel that the writ petition may be disposed of by passing the following direction.

Accordingly, the concerned respondent, especially the third respondent - the Treasury Officer, Bolpur, District - Birbhum - is directed to pay interest at the rate of 8% p.a. on the delayed payment of revised gratuity and revised pensionary benefits from 16th September, 2020 till the date of final payment, within six weeks from the date of communication of this order.

With the aforesaid direction, WPA No. 1534 of 2023 stands disposed of. No order as to costs.

All parties are to act on the server copy of this order duly downloaded from the official website of this court. Urgent photostat copy of the order, if applied for, be supplied to the appellant on priority basis on compliance of necessary formalities, on priority basis.

( Rabindranath Samanta, J.)