Calcutta High Court: In a writ petition filed by the petitioner, claiming interest on the delayed payment of the revised gratuity and revised arrear pension amount, after considerable delay, a single-judge bench comprising of Rajasekhar Mantha,* J., directed the Director of Pension, Provident Fund, and Group Insurance, Government of West Bengal, as well as the concerned Treasury Officer, to pay interest to the petitioner at a rate of 8% per annum on the revised gratuity and revised arrear pension amount calculated from 14.02.2020 until the date of actual payment.
In the instant matter, the petitioner, an Assistant Teacher of a High School, retired on 31-12-2019 and the first pension payment order was issued on 22-01-2020. Subsequently, under the ROPA Rules, 2019, there was a revision of the pensionary and gratuity amount payable to the petitioner. The revised pension payment order was issued on 06-02-2021, and the revised gratuity and revised arrear pension amount were disbursed on 08-02-2021, in accordance with ROPA, 2019. The petitioner filed a writ petition claiming interest in the delayed payment of the revised gratuity and revised arrear pension amount. The petitioner justified the considerable delay in filing the writ petition by stating that there is no statutory period of limitation and neither party has suffered due to this delay. The petitioner relied on Narayan Chandra Saha v. State of W.B., 2017 SCC OnLine Cal 15775, wherein a co-ordinate Bench had relied on Union of India v. Tarsem Singh, (2008) 8 SCC 648, with regards to the issue of limitation relating to payment or refixation of pay or pension and the Supreme Court held that relief may be granted despite delay as it does not affect the rights of the third party.
After considering the argument advanced and authorities cited, the Court directed the Director of Pension, Provident Fund and Group Insurance, Government of West Bengal, as well as the concerned Treasury Officer, to pay interest to the petitioner at a rate of 8% per annum on the revised gratuity and revised arrear pension amount calculated from 14-02-2020, until the date of actual payment and such payment is to be made within a period of 8 weeks from the date of communication of this order. The writ petition is disposed of with these observations and there will be no order as to costs.
[Sukumar Paria v. State of W.B., 2024 SCC OnLine Cal 2344, order dated 08-03-2024]
*Judgment by Justice Rajasekhar Mantha
Advocates who appeared in this case :
Ms. Arpita Saha, Counsel for the Petitioner
Ms. Nilanjana Dasgupta, Counsel for the Respondent/State
