Arunima Mandal (Ghosh) v. State Of West Bengal And ORS.

12.05.2023 (D/L-98) Ct.-18 (Susanta) W.P.A. 25190 of 2022 Arunima Mandal (Ghosh) -Vs- The State of West Bengal & Ors.

Mr. Uttam Kumar Roy, .... For the Petitioner.

Sk. Afrojul Hauqe, .... For the State.

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

The husband of the petitioner was an approved Teacher of a Secondary school and retired from his service on superannuation on February 28, 2017 and expired on May 14, 2021.

The first Pension Payment Order of the employee concerned was issued on February 14, 2017.

Under the ROPA Rules, 2019, there was revision of the pension, gratuity and computation of pension of the pensioners vide Memorandum of the Government of West Bengal bearing No.

53/ES/P/P&B/10M-99/2019 dated February 14, 2020 and the revised pension payment order of the employee concerned under ROPA, 2019 was issued on July 18, 2022, in terms of the said revised pension payment order, the petitioner received the arrear family pension and gratuity on July 20, 2022. The petitioner in the instant writ petition is claiming that she is entitled to interest for the delayed payment of the said gratuity and arrear pension and is praying issuance of writ of

mandamus commanding the Director of Pension, Provident Fund and Group Insurance and the concerned Treasury Officer, the respondents herein, to pay such interest.

The learned advocate for the State respondents does not raise any objection in allowing the prayer of the petitioner.

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

The aforementioned respondents are, therefore directed to pay interest on the revised gratuity and arrear family pension @ 8% per annum from the date of notification of the aforesaid Government order i.e. February 14, 2020 till the date of payment of revised gratuity and arrear family pension in terms of the said revised Pension payment order.

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

W.P.A 25190 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.)