INDIRA BANERJEE,J. - (1.) In this writ petition, the petitioner has sought orders on the respondents to pay interest to the petitioner at 18% per annum on gratuity due and payable to the petitioner which has been released belatedly.
(2.) The petitioner apparently retired from service on 31st May, 1996. A Pension Payment Order being Memo No. 4674/P dated 27th June, 1998, was issued and another Pension Payment Order No. 2661/PR dated 5th February , 2002 , was issued recomputing the amount of pension, gratuity etc. consequential to the revision of pay and allowances. According to the petitioner, the gratuity amount was disbursed to the petitioner on 8th September , 1998, and 10th August, 2002, respectively.
(3.) The issue in this writ petition is whether the delay in release of gratuity to retired primary school teachers attracts interest and, if so, at what rate.;