Heard the learned counsel for the petitioners and the learned Standing Counsel for the respondent, apart from perusing the record. Since the issue lies in a narrow compass, this Court proposes to dispose of the writ petition at the admission stage itself. 2. Briefly stated, petitioners 1 to 15 retired from the service of the respondent Corporation on various dates beginning from 30.11.2012, the 16th petitioner being the wife of the deceased employee who retired on 30.11.2013. All of them have approached this Court complaining of the inordinate delay in the respondent Corporation in settling the retirement benefits. The respondent Corporation filed its counter affidavit and has placed on record the administrative bottle necks and the financial constraints faced by the respondent Corporation as the reasons for not settling the claims of the petitioners expeditiously.
3. The learned counsel for the petitioners has brought to my notice that on earlier occasion, under identical circumstances, this Court through Exts.P4(a) and P4(b) judgments directed the respondent Corporation to pay all the retirement benefits of the petitioners therein within three months, lest the amounts should carry interest @ 9% per annum. The learned counsel has submitted that now the petitioners have been surviving on a meager sum of below ` 2000/- per month paid as contributory provident fund pension. According to him, still substantial amounts are due to the petitioners under the heads of leave surrender wages, arrears of DA, special advance pay, pay revision arrears and revised gratuity.
Without adverting to the quantum or the heads of claim made by the petitioners, in the light of the counter affidavit filed by the respondent Corporation admitting the right of the petitioners to have the retirement benefits, this Court disposes of the present writ petition in tune with Exts.P4(a) and P4(b) judgments, thereby directing the respondent Corporation to pay all the benefits due to the petitioners as expeditiously as possible at any rate within three months from the date of receipt of a copy of this judgment. If the said amounts are not paid within the time stipulated above, the amounts shall carry interest at the rate of 9% per annum.
sd/- DAMA SESHADRI NAIDU, JUDGE.
rv