IN THE HIGH COURT FOR THE STATES OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH Civil Writ Petition No.940 of 2002 Date of decision: February 26, 2008. Surjit Singh ...Petitioner(s) v. State of Punjab & Ors. ...Respondent(s) CORAM:HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SURYA KANT 1. Whether Reporters of local papers may be allowed to see the judgment ? 2. To be referred to the Reporters or not ? 3. Whether the judgment should be reported in the Digest. Present: Shri R.K. Arora, Advocate for the petitioner. Shri M.C. Berry, Additional Advocate General, Punjab for the respondents. ORDER Surya Kant, J. (Oral) The prayer in this Civil Writ Petition is to issue a writ in the nature of mandamus directing the respondents to grant interest @ 18% per annum to the petitioner on the alleged delay in payment of retiral benefits. The petitioner joined the Education Department, Punjab as a Punjabi Teacher on 25.7.1970 and he retired on attaining the age of superannuation on 31.5.2000. Notwithstanding the fact that the petitioner enjoyed a blotless service career and there was no impediment against the release of retiral benefits to him, some of such benefits were released after unreasonable delay. It may, however, be mentioned that the leave encashment was paid to the petitioner on 9.6.2000 whereas the Death-cum-Retirement Gratuity was paid on 8.8.2000. These two payments, thus, cannot be said to have been unnecessarily delayed. However, the GPF amounting to Rs.1,87,343/- was paid to the petitioner on 12.11.2001, i.e., after a period of more than one year of his retirement. In the absence of any explanation for the said inordinate delay, this writ petition is partly allowed to the extent that the respondents are directed to pay interest @ 9% per annum on the above stated amount of GPF for a period of one year. The arrears of interest shall be paid to the petitioner within a period of three months from the date of receipt of a certified copy of this order. No costs. February 26, 2008. [ Surya Kant ] kadyan Judge