IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT : THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE THOTTATHIL B.RADHAKRISHNAN THURSDAY, THE 24TH JANUARY 2008 / 4TH MAGHA 1929 WP(C).No. 8598 of 2007(W) ------------------------- PETITIONER: ------------ V.K.RADHAKRISHNAN, AGED 56, S/O V.P.KESHAVAN, VADAKKETHIL HOUSE, SREEKRISHNAPURAM, OTTAPALAM TALUK,679 513, RETIRED AS BRANCH MANAGER, PALAKKAD DISTRICT CO-OP BANK. BY ADV. SRI.SANTHEEP ANKARATH RESPONDENTS: ------------- 1. STATE OF KERALA, REP. BY ITS SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF CO-OPERATION, GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT, TRIVANDRUM. 2. THE REGISTRAR OF CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES, TRIVANDRUM. 3. THE PALAKKAD DISTRICT CO-OPERATIVE BANK LTD., REP. BY ITS GENERAL MANAGER, POST BOX NO.21 HEAD POST OFFICE ROAD, SULTANPET, PALAKKAD. BY ADV. SRI.M.M.MONAYE GOVT.PLEADER SRI.RAVIKRISHNAN THIS WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) HAVING BEEN FINALLY HEARD ON 24/01/2008 ALONG WITH W.P.C.NO.7802/07, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: APPENDIX IN W.P.C.NO.8598/07 PETITIONER'S EXHIBITS EXT.P1 TRUE COPY OF THE LETTER DTD.13-7-06 ISSUEDBBY R3 TO SENIOR DIVISIONAL MANAGER,L.I.C.OF INDIA. EXT.P2 TRUE COPY OF REPRESENTATION DTD.20-12-06 SUBMITTED BY THE PETITIONER BEFORE R3. EXT.P3 TRUE COPY OF REPRESENTATION DTD.3-1-07 WITHOUT ENCLOSURES SUBMITTED BY THE PETITIONER BEFORE R3 EXT.P4 TRUE COPY OF LETTER DTD.6-2-07 ISSUEDBY R3 TO THE PETITIONER. EXT.P5 TRUE COPY OF THE JUDGMENT IN W.P.C.NO.10522/06 OF THIS COURT. EXT.P6 TRUE COPY OF CIRCULAR NO.25OF 1999 DTD.22-6-99 ISSUED BY R2. RESPONDENT'S EXHIBITS EXT.R3(A) TRUE COPY OF A LETTER DTD.4-12-1998 SENT BY THE LIC OF INDIA TO R3. /True Copy/ PA to Judge. THOTTATHIL.B.RADHAKRISHNAN, J. --------------------------------- W.P(c)NOs.8598 & 7802 OF 2007 ------------------------------------ Dated this the 24th day of January, 2008 JUDGMENT Petitioners are the retired employees of the Palakkad District Co-operative Bank Ltd. The short issue is whether the gratuity amount due to the petitioners could be limited to Rs. 3,50,000/-. Going by the decision of this court in Ratnavalli v. Ambalapadu Service Co-op.Bank Ltd. ( 2005(3)KLT 320) and Ext.P5 judgment, the impugned orders have to go and the petitioners are entitled to the direction as sought for. In the result, writ petition is allowed quashing the impugned orders and directing that the entire amount due as DCRG ignoring any limit fixed by the circular shall be released to the petitioners within an outer limit of two months from the date of receipt of a copy of this judgment. THOTTATHIL.B.RADHAKRISHNAN JUDGE sv.