26 2021 Suktara Munian vs 227 The State Of West Bengal & Ors
2021 Latest Caselaw 596 Cal

Ct.
No.   27.01                       W.P.A. 1405 of 2021
26    2021                              Suktara Munian
                                               Vs.
227                              The State of West Bengal & Ors.
akb

              Ms. Sayani Saha              ...For the Petitioner




              1.           Affidavit of service filed in court today is kept
              with the record.

              2.           The husband of the petitioner was an Assistant
              Teacher of a High School who died in harness on
              28.11.2015. The petitioner had completed all pension related
              formalities of her husband.            However, the concerned
              authorities delayed and released her arrear pension and
              gratuity amount on 15.02.2017. The petitioner herein seeks
              interest to be paid on gratuity amount for the interim period
              of delay in receipt of the gratuity.

              3.           There is a considerable delay in filing of the writ
              petition, which the petitioner seeks to justify by stating that
              there is no statutory period of limitation and neither parties
              have suffered due to this delay. It is the submission of the
              petitioner that accordingly the petition should be allowed.

              4.           The petitioner relies upon an order in W.P.
              17557 (W) of 2017 (Narayan Chandra Saha vs. State of West
              Bengal & Ors.) wherein a co-ordinate Bench had relied upon
              the Supreme Court judgment in the case of Union of India vs.
              Tarsem Singh, reported in (2008) 8 SCC 648 on the issue of
              limitation relating to payment or refixation of pay or pension
              wherein the Apex Court had held that relief may be granted
              in spite of delay as it does not affect the rights of the third
              party.
                           2




5.             In view of the above and after hearing the
learned Counsel for the parties, I direct the Director of
Pension, Provident Fund and Group Insurance, Government
of West Bengal as also the concerned Treasury Officer to pay
interest to the petitioner @ 8% per annum on the gratuity
amount calculated from 29.11.2015 till the date of actual
payment. Such payment is to be made within a period of
eight weeks from the date of communication of this order.

6.             With these observations, the writ petition is
disposed of.

7.             Since, no affidavit-in-opposition has been called
for, the allegations made in the writ petition are deemed to
have not been admitted by the respondents.

8. There will be no order as to costs.

9. Urgent photostat certified copy of this order, if applied for, be given to the parties, on priority basis.

( Shekhar B. Saraf, J.)