IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH CWP NO.21837 OF 2008 DATE OF DECISION:6.1.2009 Tarsem Lal ..Petitioner Versus State of Punjab and others ..Respondents CORUM HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE PERMOD KOHLI PRESENT: Mr.Rishav Jain, Advocate for petitioner Mr.B.S.Chahal, DAG, Punjab Permod Kohli,J. (Oral) The petitioner was serving as an Inspector in the Cooperative Department of the respondent-State. He joined service on 22.2.1972, on being appointed on 3.2.1972. He retired from service on 31.10.2006 on attaining the age of superannuation. The short grievance of the petitioner is that even though he retired in October, 2006, his pensionary benefits have not been settled and paid till date. The petitioner has placed on record copy of inter departmental communication wherein authorities asked each other to prepare the duplicate service book of the petitioner as the original one is not readily available. It is the duty of the department to maintain the service book and if the original is not available, the burden is on the department to prepare duplicate thereof. The petitioner cannot be denied pension on that ground. In view of the above circumstances, this petition is disposed of with a direction to the respondents to prepare duplicate service book of the petitioner, if the original one is not traced till date, within a period of four CWP NO.21837 OF 2008 :2: weeks and settle the pensionary benefits/retiral benefits of the petitioner within a period of two months thereafter. Needless to say, the delay on account of release of pension cannot be attributed to the petitioner. The respondents are required to pay interest to the petitioner on the retiral benefits at the rate of 4% per annum, other than the statutory interest payable under law. (PERMOD KOHLI) JUDGE 6.1.2009 MFK