CWP NO.1699 OF 2009 1 IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH. DATE OF DECISION: 03.2.2009 Lakhbir Singh ...Petitioner VERSUS The Pepsu Road Transport Corporation & Anr. ..Respondents CORAM HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE PERMOD KOHLI PRESENT: Mr.R.K.Arora, Advocate for the petitioner Mr.R.S.Ahluwalia, Advocate for respondents Permod Kohli, J. (Oral) Notice of motion. On the asking of this Court, Mr.R.S.Ahluwalia, Advocate accepts notice on behalf of the respondents. With the consent of the counsel, this petition is disposed of at motion stage. The short grievance of the petitioner is that he retired from service on 31.8.2006. The gratuity has been sanctioned by respondent no.1 in favour of the petitioner vide orders dated 4.12.2006 and 28.11.2007, but the same has not been released to the petitioner till date. The sanction orders are on record as Annexures P-1 and P-2. Mr.Ahulwalia submits that because of the financial crunch perhaps the gratuity could not be paid. This is no ground for withholding the retiral benefits of a retired employee and that too for a CWP NO.1699 OF 2009 2 long period. In such circumstances, I dispose of this writ petition with a direction to the respondents to release the gratuity, already sanctioned, to the petitioner within a period of three months alongwith the statutory interest till the amount is actually paid. (PERMOD KOHLI) JUDGE 03.2.2009 MFK