C.W.P. No.16549 of 2011 1 IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH. C.W.P. No.16549 of 2011 Date of Decision: 06.09.2011 Ashok Kumar Dutt ....Petitioner Versus Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam Ltd. & anr. ...Respondents CORAM : Hon'ble Ms. Justice Nirmaljit Kaur Present:- Mr. Vivek Suri, Advocate for the petitioner. ***** 1. Whether Reporters of Local Newspapers 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 ? ** NIRMALJIT KAUR, J. (ORAL) This is a petition under Articles 226/227 of the Constitution of India for issuance of a writ in the nature of Mandamus directing the respondents to release the retiral benefits along with the interest @ 18% per annum, and other consequential benefits. The petitioner retired from the Office of Executive Engineer, Haryana State Electricity Board, Operation Division, Pehowa after attaining the age of superannuation on 31.07.1996. He was paid a provisional pension as the last pay certificate, as well as, the service book was not traceable. The petitioner has been regularly making representations for the release of pensionary benefits. One such representation was made on 30.09.2009 and, thereafter, again on 04.04.2011. It is contended that the service book of the petitioner was traced on 11.04.2011 and inter-se communication was made between the officials of the Corporation. C.W.P. No.16549 of 2011 2 Thereafter, respondent No.2 also issued communication for release of the payment of 271 days. No payment has been received by the petitioner till now. Thereafter, a legal notice (Annexure P-4) was also issued to the respondents on 18.07.2011 which has been duly received by them. However, they have not bothered to reply to the same. In view of the above and taking into account the dispute, the present petition is disposed of with a direction to respondent No.1 to decide the legal notice (Annexure P-4) as expeditiously as possible preferably within one month from the receipt of a copy of this order and by passing a speaking order. However, in case, the petitioner is entitled to the claim raised by him, the same shall be granted to him within one month, thereafter. (NIRMALJIT KAUR) 06.09.2011 JUDGE gurpreet