IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH Civil Writ Petition No.12371 of 2009 Date of Decision: 17.08.2009 The Sant Attar Singh Cooperative Labour and Construction Society Ltd. and another Petitioners Versus The State of Punjab and others Respondents CORAM:- HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE JASBIR SINGH Present: Mr.Parminder Singh Sekhon, Advocate for the petitioners ….. Jasbir Singh, J.(Oral) Notice of motion. On asking of the Court, Mr.A.K.Sharma, Additional Advocate General, Punjab accepts notice. Heard. By filing this writ petition, the petitioners have prayed that directions be issued to the respondents, to release admitted payment, due to them towards execution of works, detail of which has been given in paragraph No.3 and 4 of this writ petition. It is case of the petitioners that they have successfully executed the work, as mentioned above. Entries were made in the measurement book and amount due to them was approved by the authorities, however, the payment has not been released on account of paucity of funds. Thereafter, Civil Writ Petition No.12371 of 2009 the petitioners have served legal notices dated 20.7.2009 and 5.8.2009 respectively (P1 and P2) for releasing the payment, which are still pending undecided. This Court feels that if there is no defect in the work executed by the petitioners, the authorities are not justified to detain amount due to them. Paucity of funds is no ground to deny the admitted payment. In view of facts mentioned above, this writ petition is disposed of by issuing directions to respondent No.4 to decide legal notices served by the petitioners and if there is no legal hitch, release admitted payment to them, within three months from the date of receipt of a copy of this order, failing which, the petitioners shall be entitled to get interest @ 8% per annum from the date the amount had become due to them till its realisation. To the contrary, if the officer concerned wishes to reject claim of the petitioners, on valid grounds, a speaking order be passed and a copy thereof be supplied to the petitioners. Copy of the order be supplied to the State counsel under signatures of the Court Reader for compliance. 17.08.2009 (Jasbir Singh) gk Judge 2