Shikha Mandal v. The State Of West Bengal And ORS.

Form No.J(2) CIRCUIT BENCH OF CALCUTTA HIGH COURT AT JALPAIGURI CONSTITUTIONAL WRIT JURISDICTION Present: The Hon'ble Justice Aniruddha Roy WPA 1848 OF 2025 Shikha Mandal Vs.

The State of West Bengal & Ors.

For the Petitioner :

Ms. Nikita Paul, Adv.

For the State :

Mr. Pretom Das, Adv.

Ms. Rima Sarkar, Adv.

Heard on :

09.09.2025 Judgment on :

09.09.2025 Aniruddha Roy, J.

Affidavit of service filed in Court today, is taken on record. Mr. Pretom Das and Ms. Rima Sarkar, learned Advocates appear for the State.

The petitioner was an approved Assistant Teacher of a Secondary School. The petitioner retired from his employment on 31.05.2016. The Pension Payment Order was issued by the concerned respondent on 16.05.2016 and ROPA part was issued on 05.02.2021.

Under ROPA Rules, 2019, there was a revision of Pension, Gratuity and computation of Pension of the pensioners under the Government Notification /Memorandum bearing No.53/ES/P/P&B/10M-99/2019 dated February 14, 2020 and the revised Pension Payment Order of the petitioner under ROPA, 2019 was issued on 05.02.2021. The petitioner now claims interest for the delayed payment of the said revised gratuity and arrear pension on and from February 14, 2020. It is trite that, the pension, which is lawfully payable to an employee is its property and if there is any delay in making such payment and the disbursement thereof in favour of such employee, such an employee is eligible and entitle to receive interest.

In view of the above, the respondents and or the Director of Pension, Provident Fund and Group Insurance and the concerned Treasury Officer are directed to pay interest on the revised gratuity and revised arrear pension @ 8% per annum on and from February 14, 2020 till the date of actual payment being received by the petitioner in terms of the revised Pension Payment Order.

The entire exercise as directed above, shall be carried out and completed positively by the respondents and or the Director of Pension, Provident Fund and Group Insurance and the concerned Treasury Officer within a period of eight weeks from the date of communication of this order. In default, the said arrear amounts and the entitlement of the petitioner shall carry an additional interest of 2% per annum till the date the petitioner actually receives the same.

Since affidavits are not called for, the allegations made in the writ petition are deemed not to have been admitted by the respondents. On the above terms, this writ petition being WPA 1848 of 2025 stands disposed of, without any order as to costs. Photostat certified of this order, if applied for, be furnished expeditiously.

(Aniruddha Roy, J.) D. Das, P.A.