IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT : THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE S.SIRI JAGAN TUESDAY, THE 29TH JULY 2008 / 7TH SRAVANA 1930 WP(C).No. 20621 of 2008(E) ------------------------------------- PETITIONER: ------------------- M.LEKSHMIKUTTY, BEENANANDA HOUSE, PANGARAPPILLY P.O., MULANTHURUTHI VIA., ERNAKULAM DISTRICT. BY ADV. SRI.BIJU BALAKRISHNAN RESPONDENTS: ---------------------- 1. KERALA STATE ELECTRICITY BOARD, VYDYUTHI BHAVAN, PATTOM P.O., THIRUVANANTHAPURAM REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY. 2. THE ASSISTANT EXECUTIVE ENGINEER, ELECTRICAL MAJOR SECTION, CHOTTANIKKARA, ERNAKULAM DISTRICT. 3. THE DISTRICT LABOUR OFFICER, (THE CONTROLLING AUTHORITY UNDER THE PAYMENT OF GRATUITY ACT, 1972), KAKKANADU, ERNAKULAM. BY GOVERNMENT PLEADER SRI. I. V. PREMOD SRI, K.S. ANIL.SC THIS WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 29/07/2008, ALONG WITH WPC NO. 20622 OF 2008 THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: S.SIRI JAGAN, J ================== W.P(C)Nos.20621 & 20622 of 2008 ================== Dated this the 29th day of July, 2008. J U D G M E N T The petitioners in these two writ petitions obtained orders from the controlling authority under the Payment of Gratuity Act, for payment of gratuity due to them from the Kerala State Electricity Board, who was their employer. Their grievance in these writ petitions is that although almost one year has lapsed since passing of the orders by the controlling authority, Kerala State Electricity Board has not yet deposited the gratuity amount with interest as directed by the controlling authority. Although the learned Standing Counsel for the petitioners obtained adjournment twice for getting instructions, no instructions are court coming. In so far as the Kerala State Electricity Board has no case that Ext.P1 has been challenged in appeal, they are bound to deposit the amount of gratuity as without interest as directed by the controlling authority. W.P(C)Nos.20621 & 20622 of 2008 - 2 - Accordingly, these writ petitions are disposed of with a direction to the Kerala State Electricity Board to deposit the gratuity with interest awarded to the petitioners in these writ petitions before the concerned controlling authority, as expeditiously as possible, at any rate, within one month from the date of receipt of a copy of this judgment, if there are no orders of stay against the orders of the Controlling Authority. S.SIRI JAGAN, JUDGE rhs