IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB & HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH CWP No. 1929 of 2011 Date of Decision: 15.09.2011 Gurmeet Singh ...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. B.K.Sharma, Advocate, for the petitioner. Mr. B.S.Chahal, Deputy Advocate General, Punjab. **** SURYA KANT, J.(Oral) The father of the petitioner was a P.R. Chowkidar who died in harness on 08.10.1983. The petitioner has been appointed as P.R.Chowkidar on compassionate ground. His grievance is that ex- gratia benefits like gratuity or leave encashment etc. to which his family is entitled to, after the death of his father, have not been released. The respondents have filed their reply/affidavit maintaining that at the time when the father of the petitioner died, the pensionary benefits were not admissible to P.R. Chowkidars. Such a policy decision has been taken on 17.04.2009 only. The reply, however, does not indicate as to whether any 'leave encashment' or 'gratuity' was admissible to P.R.Chowkidars prior to 17.04.2009. CWP No. 1929 of 2011 [2] In these circumstances, the writ petition is disposed of with a direction to the respondents that in case the benefit of gratuity or leave encashment has been/was extended to the P.R. Chowkidars, in that event, the claim of the petitioner/his family for such benefits due to the death of his father, be also considered and in case they are found entitled to, the same be released within a period of four months from the date of receipt of a certified copy of this order. 15.09.2011 (SURYA KANT) 'ravinder' JUDGE