IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB & HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH Civil Writ Petition No.3260 of 2010 Date of Decision : February 23, 2010. Jaswant Singh and others .....Petitioners versus State of Punjab and another .....Respondents CORAM : HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE SURYA KANT. Present : Mr.N.S.Bawa, Advocate, for the petitioners. -.- 1. Whether Reporters of Local papers may be allowed to see the judgment? 2. To be referred to the Reporters or not? 3. Whether the judgment should be reported in the Digest? --- ORDER Surya Kant, J. (Oral) The petitioners seek a mandamus to direct the respondents to pay them the interest @ 18% per annum on the delayed payment of death- cum-retirement gratuity etc. It is alleged that though petitioner Nos.1 & 2 and husband of petitioner No.3 retired from service on 31.1.2000, 29.2.2000 and 31.1.2000 respectively, the arrears of their death-cum-retirement-gratuity (a substantial part thereof) have been paid to them in January, 2009 only and that too under the orders of this Court. On this premise, the petitioners claim interest on the above- mentioned delayed payments. The petitioners have already raised their C.W.P.No .3260 of 2010 2 claim for interest vide legal notice dated 17.12.2009 (Annexure P-7) followed by a reminder dated 15.1.2010 (Annexure P-8). In this view of the matter, the writ petition is disposed of with a direction to the respondents to take cognizance of the legal notice served on behalf of the petitioners and if it is found that the petitioners were denied the arrears of death-cum-retirement-gratuity due to inaction or illegal action of the authorities, it is directed that they shall be paid interest @ 7% per annum from the date it became due till its actual realization. The needful shall be done within a period of 6 months from the date of receiving a certified copy of this order. However, the department shall be at liberty to recover the arrears of interest from the defaulting official/officer. Dasti. 23-02-2010 (SURYA KANT) Mohinder JUDGE