IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT : THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE P.N.RAVINDRAN MONDAY, THE 31ST OCTOBER 2011 / 9TH KARTHIKA 1933 WP(C).No. 28858 of 2011(F) -------------------------- PETITIONER(S): ---------------------- 1. P. SUKUMARAN, SUNITHALAYAM, ATHAINPARAMBU P.O., PALAKKAD. 2. N.M.UNNIKRISHNAN, NEELMANA, EDATHARA, PALAKKAD. 3. V.U.VENUGOPALAN, HIRANIAM, AYODYA NAGAR, PALAKKAD. 4. C.K.SWAMINATHAN, VADAKKUMMURY, KALMANDAPAM, PALAKKAD. 5. K. AMBIKA, AKSHRA, METTUPALAYAM STREET, PALAKKAD. 6. A. BHASKARAN, 8/48, SURABHI, VIDYUT NAGAR, PALAKKAD. 7. K. KERALADASANUNNI, SARADA NIVAS, PARLI, PALAKKAD. 8. A. SREENIVASAN, SREE GIRI, VIDYUT NAGAR, PALAKKAD. 9. V. KRISHNA MURTHI, KARTHIKA, KODUYAUR, PALAKKAD. 10. C.R.KALYANA KRISHNAN, GAYATHRI KRIPA, KODUYAUR, PALAKKAD. 11. K. ABU HAMEED, CHENNAKKALAM HOUSE, KODUYAUR, PALAKKAD. 12. SARASWATHI AMMA, MAKKARA ILLAM, NEW CIVIL NAGAR, PALAKKAD. 13. K.M. HAMSA, CITADEL, CONVENT ROAD, PALAKKAD. 14. K.K. KOMALAKUMARI, DREAM LAND, PERINKULAM P.O., PALAKKAD. 15. K. JYOTHI, SOUPARNIKA, HARIKKARA STREET, PALAKKAD. -2- 16. M. RAGHUNATHAN, SARATHI, VIDYUT NAGAR, PALAKKAD. 17. C.K. SAVITHIRI, BABY NIVAS, VINAYAGA COLONY, PALAKKAD. 18. C.M.SIVARAMAN NAIR, BABY NIVAS, VINAYAGA COLONY, PALAKKAD. 19. T.PRIYAMVADA, ARATHI, DARSHANA COLONY, PALAKKAD. 20. T.T.GOPALAKRISHNAN, SINDHU NIVAS, HARISANKAR RD., PALAKKA. 21. C.SANTHAKUMARI, JYOGITH, PUTHUR, PALAKKAD. 22. N. RAMACHANDRAN, SREYAS, AMBIKAPURAM, PALAKKAD. 23. A.K.KRISHNAN, ALANGODE HOUSE, OLAVAKKODE, PALAKKAD. 24. P. SUKUMARAN, JYOTHIS, KOPPAM, PALAKKAD. 25. A. RADHA DEVI, 23/430, SREEPADHAM, KUNNATHURMEDU, PALAKKAD. BY ADV. SRI.VINOD KUMAR.C RESPONDENT(S): ------------------------ 1. STATE OF KERALA, REP. BY ITS SECRETARY TO LABOUR DEPT, GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM-695001. 2. DISTRICT LABOUR OFFICER (CONTROLLING AUTHORITY UNDER PAYMENT OF GRATUITY ACT), CIVIL STATION, PALAKKAD-678 001. 3. REGIONAL LABOUR COMMISSIONER, CIVIL STATION, KAKKANADU, ERNAKULAM-682 035. 4. KERALA STATE ELECTRICITY BOARD, REP. BY ITS SECRETARY, VYDYUTHI BHAVAN, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM-695001. BY GOVT. PLEADER SRI.G.GOPAKUMAR. BY STANDING COUNSEL SRI.K.S.ANIL. THIS WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 31/10/2011, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: STU WP(C).No. 28858 of 2011(F) APPENDIX PETITIONER(S) EXHIBITS : EXT.P1: TRUE COPY OF THE ORDER IN GC 38/04 DT.20.10.06 EXT.P2: TRUE COPY OF THE ORDER IN GC 65/2004 DT.24.3.06. EXT.P3: TRUE COPY OF THE ORDER IN GC 41/2004 DT.20.10.06 EXT.P4: TRUE COPY OF THE ORDER IN GC 53/04 DT.20.10.06 EXT.P5: TRUE COPY OF THE ORDER IN GC 110/04 DT.1.8.06 EXT.P6: TRUE COPY OF THE ORDER IN GC 50/04 DT.20.10.06 EXT.P7: TRUE COPY OF THE ORDER IN GC 5/05 DT.22.12.06 EXT.P8: TRUE COPY OF THE ORDER IN GC 74/2004 DT.24.3.06 EXT.P9: TRUE COPY OF THE ORDER IN GC 133/04 DT.24.3.06 EXT.P10: TRUE COPY OF THE ORDER IN GC 194/2004 DT.1.8.06 EXT.P11: TRUE COPY OF THE ORDER IN GC 58/2004 DT.22.02.07 EXT.P12: TRUE COPY OF THE ORDER IN GC 116/2004 DT.1.8.06 EXT.P13: TRUE COPY OF THE ORDER IN GC 147/2004 DT.24.3.06 EXT.P14: TRUE COPY OF THE ORDER IN GC 148/2004 DT.24.3.06 EXT.P15: TRUE COPY OF THE ORDER IN GC 46/04 DT.20.10.06 EXT.P16: TRUE COPY OF THE ORDER IN GC 58/05 DT.17.01.07 EXT.P17: TRUE COPY OF THE ORDER IN GC 129/04 DT.24.03.06 EXT.P18: TRUE COPY OF THE ORDER IN GC 158/04 DT.24.03.06 EXT.P19: TRUE COPY OF THE ORDER IN GC 112/04 DT.1.8.06 EXT.P20: TRUE COPY OF THE ORDER IN GC 108/2004 DT.1.8.06 EXT.P21: TRUE COPY OF THE ORDER IN GC 82/04 DT.1.8.06 EXT.P22: TRUE COPY OF THE ORDER IN GC 40/04 DT.20.10.06 EXT.P23: TRUE COPY OF THE ORDER IN GC 79/204 DT.01.08.06 EXT.P24: TRUE COPY OF THE ORDER IN GC 72/04 DT.24.3.06 EXT.P25: TRUE COPY OF THE ORDER IN GC 81/04 DT.1.8.06 RESPONDENT'S EXHIBITS : NIL //TRUE COPY// STU P.A. TO JUDGE. P.N. RAVINDRAN, J. ------------------------------- W.P (C) No. 28858 of 2011 ------------------------------- Dated this the 31st day of October, 2011 J U D G M E N T The petitioners are former employees of the Kerala State Electricity Board (hereinafter referred to as 'the Board' for short). Upon retirement they were paid terminal benefits including gratuity computed in terms of the provisions contained in Part-III of the Kerala Service Rules. Long after their retirement, relying on the decision of this Court in O.P. No.674 of 2002 the petitioners filed separate applications before the Controlling Authority under the Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972 (hereinafter referred to as 'the Act' for short) seeking payment of gratuity in terms of the said enactment. By Exts.P1 to P25 orders, the Controlling Authority allowed the applications and directed payment of the difference in the amount of gratuity with interest at applicable rates from the respective due dates. This writ petition is filed contending that though the principal amount of gratuity directed to be paid by the Controlling Authority under the Act was deposited, the interest payable in terms of Exts.P1 to P25 orders passed by the Controlling Authority has not been deposited so far. In this writ petition, the petitioners seeks an order directing the Board to pay the interest portion expeditiously. W.P.(C) No.28858 of 2011 2 2. Sri.K.S.Anil, the learned standing counsel appearing for the Board submitted that the Board has by order No. B.O.(FB) No.1313/2011(PSI/Gratuity/TVPM/2006) dated 24.5.2011 decided to adopt and implement the provisions of the Act in respect of the employees of the Board and that the Board will therefore take steps to deposit the interest portion expeditiously. The learned standing counsel also submitted that having regard to the heavy financial commitment the Board may be granted at least six months' time from today to deposit the interest portion and that the liability of the Board to pay interest may be limited till the date of deposit of the principal amount. The learned counsel appearing for the petitioners did not oppose the said request. That apart, I have by judgment delivered on 7.6.2011 in W.P.(C) No. 639 of 2011 and connected cases disposed of similar writ petitions filed by former employees of the Board wherein after taking note of the heavy financial commitment involved, I granted the Board six months' time from the date of the judgment to deposit the interest portion and had also directed that interest will run on the principal amount of gratuity directed to be paid by the Controlling Authority only from the respective due date till the date of deposit of the principal amount. I accordingly dispose of the writ petition with the following directions: W.P.(C) No.28858 of 2011 3 (i) The Board shall within six months from today deposit before the Controlling Authority the amount payable to the petitioners by way of interest calculated in terms of Exts.P1 to P25 orders from the due date till the date of deposit of the principal amount. (ii) Upon such deposit being made, it will be open to the petitioners to unconditionally withdraw the amount deposited. (iii) If the petitioners have withdrawn the principal amount of gratuity after executing a bond, such withdrawal will be treated as unconditional. P.N. RAVINDRAN, JUDGE. nj. P.N.RAVINDRAN, J. -------------------------------------- W.P.(C) No. 28858 of 2011 JUDGMENT Dated:- 31st October, 2011 --------------------------------------