Somnath Das v. State Of West Bengal And ORS.

18.05 W.P.A. 11801 of 2023 Somnath Das -VersusThe State of West Bengal & Ors.

Ct.

No.

akb Mr. Krishna Pada Santra Ms. Arpita Saha ...For the Petitioner Mr. Biswanath Samanta ...For the State 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 Agradut Pathagar, Rupnarayanpur, Paschim Bardhaman on 31st May, 2017. After his retirement, the first pension payment order was issued by the authority concerned on 30th October, 2017. Thereafter, after ROPA 2019 came into force on September 16, 2020, the revised pension payment order was issued on 6th January, 2022.

The petitioner's case is that though he retired on 31st May, 2017, he received payment of his pensionary benefits on 14th November, 2017 and while ROPA 2019 was implemented on September 16, 2020, he received the further pensionary benefits in terms of the revised pension payment order on 10th January, 2022. Hence he seeks a direction upon the concerned authority to pay interest to him for the belated payment of gratuity and pensionary benefits in respect of the first Pension Payment Order as also the revised Pension Payment Order.

Learned Counsel appearing for the petitioner submits that getting the pensionary benefits is the legal right of the petitioner and pensionary amount is his 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 he would have received, would carry interest at the rate of 8% p.a. As such learned Counsel for the petitioner prayed for interest at the rate of 8% p.a. Having heard learned counsels appearing for the respective 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, Asansol-I, P.O. & P.S. Asansol, District - Paschim Bardhaman - is directed to pay interest at the rate of 8% p.a.

on the delayed payment of gratuity and pensionary benefits in terms of the first pension payment order from June 01, 2017 and in terms of the revised pension payment order with regard to ROPA 2019 from September 16, 2020 till the date of final payment, within six weeks from the date of communication of this order.

With the aforesaid direction, WPA No. 11801 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 petitioner on priority basis on compliance of necessary formalities, on priority basis.

( Rabindranath Samanta, J.)