IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB & HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH CWP No. 10976 of 2009 Date of Decision: 18.08.2011 Dr. Sunita Arora ...Petitioner Versus State of Punjab and others ..Respondents. CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SURYA KANT 1. Whether Reporters of local papers may be allowed to see the judgment ? 2. Whether to be referred to the Reporters or not ? 3. Whether the judgment should be reported in the Digest? Present : Mr. K.S.Rekhi, Advocate, for the petitioner. Ms. Sudeepti Sharma, Deputy Advocate General, Punjab. **** SURYA KANT .J.(Oral) Petitioner seeks quashing of an evasive order dated 08.06.2009 declining interest on the delayed payments of the retiral dues. The petitioner joined the Punjab Civil Medical Services as a Medical Officer on 19.10.1979 and retired w.e.f. 31.10.2005. The petitioner is running from pillar to post for the release of all retiral dues as certain entries in the provident fund account appears to be missing due to which full payment towards G.P.F. has not been made to her so far. The petitioner's further grievance is that rest of the retiral dues have been paid belatedly and she is entitled to be compensated with interest. CWP No. 10976 of 2009 [2] Several opportunities have been granted to the respondents to file reply but needful has not been done despite last opportunity granted on 25.04.2011. Learned State counsel though seeks some more time to file reply but I do not find any justification to adjourn the case further. Suffice it to mention that the factum of non-payment of the arrears of provident fund to the petitioner has been duly acknowledged by the Director, Health & Family Welfare, Punjab in his communication dated 20.05.2009 sent to the Chief Secretary, Punjab Civil Secretariat (Health-I), Chandigarh, relevant part thereof reads as under:- “ This Doctor has already been released payment of ` 3480/- towards GIS by Senior Medical Officer, Chabal (copy attached). However, regarding the payment of missing provident fund entries, action is being taken. Under the above noted circumstances it is requested to the Government that except certain missing entries of the Provident Fund no other amount is payable.” As regards the interest on the delayed payment, the respondents have simply denied the same on the plea that no such direction has been issued by this Court. In other words, the delay in payment of the retiral dues is candidly admitted. That being so, the writ petition is allowed to the extent that the respondents are directed to pay interest @ 7% per annum to the petitioner on the retiral dues already paid w.e.f. 01.02.2006 till the actual date of realization. The arrears of interest be paid to the petitioner within a period of four months from the date of receipt of a certified copy of this order. CWP No. 10976 of 2009 [3] Similarly, the missing entries in the provident fund account of the petitioner be tallied and updated and thereafter the said amount shall also be released to her along with interest at the statutory rate within the above stipulated period. Dasti. (SURYA KANT) 18.08.2011 JUDGE 'ravinder'