Bhaktamani Rai v. State Of West Bengal And ORS.

Calcutta High Court In the Circuit Bench at Jalpaiguri Appellate Jurisdiction 21.11.2022 SL. No.3 Court No.19 GB W.P.A. No. 3021 of 2022 Bhaktamani Rai

Versus

The State of West Bengal & Ors.

Mr. Krishna Pada Santra.

...for the Petitioner.

Sk. Afrojul Haque.

... for the State.

Affidavit of service filed in Court today be taken on record.

The petitioner was an Executive Assistant of Dalim Gram Panchayat, who retired from service on 31.12.2018. The pension Payment Order was issued in favour of the petitioner on 02.08.2019. The petitioner received the gratuity and arrear pension on 05.09.2019.

The grievance of the petitioner is that interest on delayed payment of gratuity and arrear pension has not been paid.

It is now settled law that pension and gratuity amount is to be released to the retired employee immediately upon retirement and in case of delay in releasing the pension and gratuity amount, the retired employee is entitled to get interest.

Similar orders have already been passed by this Court, by which retired employees were granted interest for delayed payment of gratuity and arrear pension. It is settled law that the right f a retired employee to get his retiral dues on the date of attaining superannuation is a valuable right which accrues in his favour on the date of attaining superannuation.

Gratuity and pension are no longer a bounty to be handed out by the State at its whim. An employee has a right to receive gratuity and pension as also interest on delayed payment of the same, upon retirement. The Director of Pension, Provident Fund & Group Insurance, Government of West Bengal as also the concerned Treasury Officer are directed to pay interest @ 8% per annum on the gratuity and arrear pension amount from the date of retirement till the actual date of disbursement.

Such payment is to be made within three months from the date of communication of the certified copy of this order to the concerned authorities.

Needless to mention that before any disbursement is made, the disbursing authority shall satisfy himself about the genuineness of the claim and verify the signature and identity of the claimant, who is before this Court. With the aforesaid observation and directions, this writ application stands disposed of.

There will, however, be no order as to costs. Urgent Photostat certified copy of this order, if applied for be given to the petitioner on priority basis. (Shampa Sarkar, J.)