Madras High Court
P.Ayyappan Pillai vs The General Manager on 2 December, 2016
Author: S.Vimala
Bench: S.Vimala
BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT
DATED: 02.12.2016
CORAM
THE HONOURABLE DR.JUSTICE S.VIMALA
W.P(MD)No.23467 of 2016
P.Ayyappan Pillai :
Petitioner
Vs.
The General Manager,
State Express Transport Corporation (Tirunelveli) Ltd.,
Nagercoil Region, Ranithottam, Nagercoil,
Kanyakumari District. :
Respondent
PRAYER: Writ Petition is filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India
praying to issue a Writ of Mandamus directing the respondent to pay the
petitioner Rs.5,47,996/- towards Gratuity, Rs.3,11,921/- towards Leave
Salary, Rs.5,35,586/- towards provident Fund and interest and also the
arrears of wages for the period from 01.09.13 to 31.01.15 payable pursuant
new wage Settlement together with 18% interest per annum and also other
retirement benefits within a time frame as may be fixed by this Court.
!For Petitioner : Mr.R.Murugan
For Respondent : Mr.K.Sathiyasingh
:ORDER
You can be young without money but you can?t be old without it.
..Tennessee Williams So pleads the petitioner, praying for disbursement of retirement benefits.
2.The petitioner was employed as Special Grade Conductor in the respondent Corporation and he retired from service on 31.01.2015 on reaching the age of superannuation.
3.He has filed this writ petition seeking for a direction to the respondent to pay the retirement benefits.
4.The First Bench of this Court in similar matter has passed an order dated 12.06.2015 in W.A.(MD)Nos.383 to 457 of 2015, issuing direction to the transport Corporations to settle the terminal benefits of its employees in equal monthly installments and to pay 6% interest on the terminal benefits payable to the workman. The Bench has also held that workman is entitled to 18% interest for the defaulted period of installments.
5.In these circumstances, this writ petition is disposed of with the following directions:-
i)A direction is issued to the transport corporation to settle the terminal benefits of the petitioner that are yet to be settled, in twelve equal monthly installments;
ii)The first installment shall commence by making payment on or before the First Week of January, 2017 and the amount in each of the remaining installments shall be paid on or before 10th of every succeeding month;
iii)The said terminal amount shall carry interest @ 6% per annum, as per the Division Bench judgment referred to above. In case of delay in making installments, the interest payable could be 18% for the delayed period;
iv)The aforesaid direction to settle the terminal benefits would not preclude the workman to question the computation of any of the terminal benefits, if the same is paid lesser than the amount to which, he is entitled to receive. Likewise, if the petitioner has any grievance that he is entitled to interest for the amount already settled, he can agitate the same as per law, if he is entitled. No costs..