SAROJA Vs. POSTMASTER

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Saving money by a poor man or woman is not to buy a BMW car or to purchase a palatial building or for a luxurious life. The same is for fulfilling his/her small dreams. Every man and woman may have dreams about their life.

(2.) In this case, an illiterate poor domestic helper deposited her hard earned money of Rs.20,000.00 in a 2-year post office time deposit scheme. She do not know the fact that after the maturity, the deposit is to be renewed. She thought that she can wait and the interest will accrue every year and she can withdraw the amount when her dream amount arrived. But when she approached the authorities in 2021, for withdrawing the amount, the authorities said that, after two years, she did not renew the deposit and therefore, she is not entitled assured interest after the maturity period. She forced to file this writ petition to get interest for the deposit as on today. Even poor domestic helper who deposited her hard earned money of Rs.20,000.00 in the post office time deposit scheme has to approach this Court to get her interest !

(3.) Facts in detail are like this: On 20/11/2012, the petitioner deposited Rs.20,000.00 in a 2-year post office time deposit scheme at Muttada Post Office, Thiruvananthapuram. She came to know that the amount of interest on the deposit for two years term was Rs.1,712.00 and the interest rate for a 2-year time deposit in 2012-13 was 8.3%. Ext.P1 is the savings pass book of the petitioner which will show that she deposited the amount on 20/11/2012. The petitioner who is a poor domestic helper was not aware of the date of maturity of her amount and had not approached the post office after making the deposit. Admittedly, the postal authorities also not intimated the same to the petitioner. She thought that if the deposit continue for a long period, she will get more interest. Moreover, it is stated in the writ petition that she was also busy with treatment of her daughter who has been suffering for years with acute stomach cramps.