Purnima Chowdhury v. State Of West Bengal And ORS.

31.10.2022 Item No.27 Court No.18 P.Jana W.P.A. 21040 of 2022 Purnima Chowdhury -Vs- The State of West Bengal & Ors.

Mr. Banshi Badan Maity, ......for the petitioner.

Affidavit-of-service filed by the learned advocate for the petitioner be kept with the record.

In spite of service, none appears on behalf of the State-respondents.

The petitioner was an approved Assistant Teacher of a secondary school and retired from her service on superannuation on October 31, 2019.

The Pension Payment Order of the petitioner was issued on May 12, 2020 in pursuance whereof she received the gratuity and the arrear Pension on December 24, 2020.

The pension payment order of the petitioner was issued with her maiden surname "Das"

which was subsequently changed to "Chowdhury" vide letter dated December 11, 2020 of the Assistant Director, Pension, P.F & Group Insurance, Government of West Bengal, a photocopy of the said letter filed by Mr. Maity, be kept with the record.

In the instant writ petition the prayer of the petitioner is a writ of mandamus be issued commanding the respondents to pay interest on the said amount of arrear pension and gratuity for the delayed payment.

It is now well settled that the petitioner is entitled to the interest, as prayed for.

The respondents, the concerned Treasury Officer in particular are, therefore, directed to pay interest @ 8% per annum on the arrear amount of pension and gratuity from the date of retirement of the petitioner till the date of such payment.

The payment as aforesaid shall be made within the period of eight weeks from the date of communication of this order, in default the said arrear amount shall fetch an additional interest of 2% per annum.

W.P.A. 21040 of 2022 stands disposed of, with the above directions. There shall be no order as to costs.

Urgent photostat certified copy of this order, if applied for, be supplied to the parties subject to compliance with all requisite formalities.

(Biswajit Basu, J.)