IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT : THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE S.SIRI JAGAN THURSDAY, THE 18TH NOVEMBER 2010 / 27TH KARTHIKA 1932 WP(C).No. 32220 of 2005(I) ------------------------------------- PETITIONER(S): --------------------- 1. THE SECRETARY, KERALA STATE ELECTRICITY BOARD, VYDHYUTHI BHAVAN, PATTOM, TRIVANDRUM. 2. THE CHIEF ENGINEER (HRM), KERALA STATE ELECTRICITY BOARD, VYDHYUTHI BHAVAN, PATTOM, TRIVANDRUM. BY SRI.N.N.SUGUNAPALAN, SENIOR ADVOCATE ADV. SRI.S.SUJIN RESPONDENT(S): ------------------------- 1. G. RAMANKUTTY NAIR (FINANCE OFFICER, RETD.), ASWATHI, DEVASWOM LANE EXT., KUNNUMPURAM, KESAVADASAPURAM, PATTOM (P.O), TRIVANDRUM. 2. K. SREE ANANDAN PILLAI (ASST. EXE.ENGINEER RETD.), SREERANGAM, KOTTAKKAKOM, PERINAD (PO), TRIVANDRUM. 3. K. OSSYIA (FAIR COPY SUPDT. RETD.), CRESCENT, K.T. NAGAR-191, VADAKKEVILA (P.O), PALLIMUKKU, KOLLAM-10. 4. P. GOPALAN (SUB ENGINEER - RETD.), HEMA MANDIRAM, PERUMON (PO), KOLLAM. 5. K. KUTTAPPAN (SR.GR.ASST. RETD.), DEEPTHI BHAVAN, THIRUMULLAVARAM (P.O),KOLLAM-12. 6. A. MOHAMMED ANZARI (SUB ENGINEER RETD.), PANAYARA HOUSE, 3RD MILESTONE, KILIKOLLOOR (P.O), KOLLAM. 7. K. SULOJINA (SR. SUPDT. RETD.), SREERANGAM, KAVANAD (P.O), KOLLAM. 8. E. ARIFA BEEVI (SR.SUPDT. RETD.), ABHILASH, MANGAD (P.O), KOLLAM. 9. M.G.THOMAS (REGIONAL AUDIT OFFICER,RETD) GARSHOM, TKM NAGAR, KOLLAM-5. 10. C.K. RAMACHANDRAN (ACCOUNTS OFFICER,RETD CHEMPAKASSERIL VEEDU, MURUNTHAL (B), PERINADU (P.O), KOLLAM. 11. N. ARAVINDAKSHAN (SR.SUPDT. RETD.), SITHARA, KOTTAKKAKOM, PERINAD (P.O), KOLLAM. 12. SOBHANAN (SUPDT. RETD.), ISWARYA, MURUNTHAL (B), PERINADU (P.O), KOLLAM. 13. S. ROHINI (SR.SUPDT. RETD.), VIDYA VIHAR, MURUNTHAL (A), PERINAD (P.O), KOLLAM. 14. K.C. SADASIVAN ACHARI (SUPDT. RETD.), USHUS, NEAR HOTEL SHA, CHINNAKADA, KOLLAM. 15. N. SEKHARA MOORTHY (SUPDT. RETD.), SREYAS, THEVALLY, KOLLAM-9. 16. V. SASIDHARAN (ASST. ADMINISTRATIVE- OFFICER. RETD.), KRISHNAPRIYA, ERAVIPURAM (P.O), KOLLAM. 17. N. JANARDHANAN PILLAI (SR.SUPDT.RETD.), BABY VIHAR, MUNDAKKAL, KOLLAM. 18. M. SASIDHARAN PILLAI (ASST. ENGINEER RETD.), PRASANTH, KARIKODE, KOLLAM-5. 19. K. SIVADASAN (DY.CHIEF ENGINEER, RETD.), SUDARSANAM, ASHRAMAM, KOLLAM. 20. C.P. IDA BREEJIT (ACCOUNTS OFFICER,RETD) KALIYILIL, KADANMUKKU, KOLLAM-1. 21. N.P. SUNDARESAN (SR.SUPDT. RETD.), LUNA DALE, THEKKEVILA (P.O), KOLLAM-16. 22. G. NATARAJAN (ASST.ENGINEER, RETD.), KALPAKA VILLA, PRAKULAM (P.O), KOLLAM-2. 23. K.N. VIMALA (SR.ACCOUNTS OFFICER, RETD.) SREE BHAVAN, MARATHADY, KOLLAM-3. 24. K. NADARAJAN (ASST.EXECUTIVE ENGR.RETD.) KARTHIKA, AYATHIL (P.O), KOLLAM-3. 25. G. RAMADAS (ASST.ENGINEER, RETD.), SARADA MANDIRAM, NORTH OF PUTHEN MATAM, THEVALLY, KOLLAM-9. 26. JOHN ALEXANDER THOMPSON (SR.SUPDT.RETD.) GRACE BHAVAN, PATTATHANAM, KOLLAM-21. 27. G. SREEDHARAN PILLAI (SR.SUPDT. RETD.), VAYALIL VEEDU, PUNNATHALA NORTH. 28. N. VIJAYARAJAN (ASST.EXE.ENGINEER,RETD.) INDIRAMANDIRAM, NJARACKAL, PERINADU (P.O), KOLLAM. 29. B. SUDHAKARAN (OVERSEER RETD.), KURUVITHOTTAM, VAYALIL, KOTTAKKAKAM, KOLLAM-13. 30. K. THANKAPPAN, CHITHIRA, HOUSE NO.177, PEROORKADA (P.O), THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 31. HON'BLE LOK AYUKTA, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. R1 TO R29 BY ADV. SRI.C.P.SUDHAKARA PRASAD, SENIOR ADVOCATE R30 BY ADV. SRI.ELVIN PETER P.J. THIS WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) HAVING BEEN FINALLY HEARD ON 18/11/2010, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: WP(C) NO. 32220/2005 APPENDIX PETITIONER'S EXHIBITS: P1 COPY OF THE COMPARATIVE STATEMENT OF REPRESENTED PAY SCALE OF VARIOUS CATEGORIES OF POSTSIN THE BOARD AND PWD/GOVT. SECRETARIAT. P2 COPY OF THE COMPLAINT NO.21/04 FILED BY THE 1ST RESPONDENT BEFORE THE HON'BLE LOK AYUKTA. TRIVANDRUM. P3 COPY OF THE STATEMENT FILED BY THE 1ST PETITIONER BEFORE THE HON'BLE KERALA LOK AYUKTA IN COMPLAINT NO.21/04. P4 COPY OF THE ORDER IN R.P.NO.507/04 IN WP(C) NO. 31498/03 OF THIS HON'BLE COURT. P5 COPY OF THE ORDER DT.25/2/05 IN COMPLAINT NO.21/04. P6 COPY OF THE JUDGMENT DT.12/1/04 IN WP(C) NO. 777/04 OF THIS COURT HON'BLE COURT. RESPONDENT'S EXHIBITS: R1(A) COPY OF THE JUDGMENT DATED 10TH MARCH, 2003 IN O.P.NO.674/2002 OF THIS HON'BLE COURT. R1(B) COPY OF THE JUDGMENT DT.11/11/2009 IN WP(C) NO. 6917/2009 AND CONNECTED CASES OF THIS HON'BLE COURT. /TRUE COPY/ P.A.TO.JUDGE sts S.SIRI JAGAN, J. ================== W.P.(C).No.32220 of 2005 ================== Dated this the 18th day of November, 2010 J U D G M E N T In this writ petition the Kerala State Electricity Board is challenging the orders of the Kerala Lok Ayukta directing the Board to pay additional gratuity payable to respondents 1 to 30 in accordance with the Payment of Gratuity Act. 2. The question as to whether gratuity is payable in accordance with the Payment of Gratuity Act to the employees of the Kerala State Electricity Board has been decided in favour of the employees of the Board by a Division Bench of this Court. Of course, the Board would contend that against that judgment, an appeal is pending before the Supreme Court. However, taking into account the pendency of the appeal before the Supreme Court, the Division Bench has already passed orders directing disbursal of the additional gratuity after obtaining security from the employees concerned. In view of the same, I am of opinion that it is not necessary to consider this writ petition on merits and it would suffice to direct the Board to disburse the additional gratuity due to respondents 1 to 30 also as directed by the Division Bench in other cases. Accordingly, this writ petition is disposed of with a direction to the petitioners in the writ petition to disburse the additional gratuity due to respondents 1 to 30 in w.p.c.32220/05 2 accordance with the Payment of Gratuity Act after obtaining sufficient security to the satisfaction of the Board for refund of the same if the Supreme Court allows the appeal filed by the Board, as expeditiously as possible, at any rate, within one month from the date of receipt of a certified copy of this judgment. Sd/- sdk+ S.SIRI JAGAN, JUDGE ///True copy/// P.A. to Judge