GOVIND KUMAR Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The present petition has been filed under Article 226/227 of thhe Constitutionn of India praying for issuance of a writ, order or directions in thhe nature of mandamus directing the respondent No.4 to pay interest @ 18%% p.a. on the delayed payment of retiral benefits of the late father of petitionerrs to them whiich has been paid after a period of one year.

(2.) Learned counsel for the petitiooners inter alia contends that thhe father of peetitioners retired from the services of respondent No.4-Municipaal Council, Gidderbaha on 31/3/2020, andd all his retiral dues were noot released immediately upon his retirement and the respondents are obligated to release his retiral dues within two monthhs after the date of his retirement. The pensionary benefits accrued to the laate father of the petitioner werre released aftter an inordinate delay. As succh, the delay in releasing all hiis retiral dues entitles the petitioners for grant of interest on delayed paymennt in terms of terms of the judgment rendered by a Full Bench of this Court in A.S. Randhhawa Supdg. Engineer (Retd.) vs. State of Punjab 1998 (1) SCT 343.

(3.) Per contra, learned counsel foor the respondent(s) submits thaat the retiral dues have already been paid, hoowever, is unable to dispute thaat there has beeen an inordinate delay in the release of the retiral dues and thhe case of the father of petitioners stands squaarely covered by the judgment in A.S. Randhhawa (supra).