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Rajendran P v. The Joint Registrar of Co-operative Societies cum Chairman of Primary Agricultural Cooperative

Madras HC10 Dec 2025WP(MD)/23878/2025

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

Retirement benefits; co-operative society Secretary; Virudhunagar; denial for failure to file execution petitions on time-barred decrees; jewel loan recovery; interest on belated payment of retiral dues; settle benefits within reasonable time after retirement; Article 226 certiorarified mandamus; Section 11 Contempt of Courts Act; contempt petition closed; interim order compliance; WP(MD)No.23878 of 2025; ContP(MD)No.3416 of 2025; B. Pugalendhi J.; Madurai Bench of Madras High Court.

What did the court decide?

Writ petition allowed; respondents directed to pay any balance retirement benefits within four weeks of receipt of a copy of the order, together with eligible interest as per the statute; no costs; connected miscellaneous petition closed; contempt petition closed. ¶52

Rajendran P Vs The Joint Registrar of Co-operative… — Contempt of Court | Madras HC (2025)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

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Issue for consideration

Whether the impugned order of the 1st respondent (Na.Ka.No.3497 of 2025/OU, dated 30.06.2025) denying the petitioner's service benefits is arbitrary and illegal and should be quashed, with directions to pay all service benefits with statutory interest. +1 more

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Court's answer

An employee who is allowed to retire, there being no disciplinary proceedings against him, must have his retirement benefits settled within a reasonable time.

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Ratio / Principle

If retirement benefits are not settled, the retiree is entitled to interest for the belated payment.

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Key takeaways

The objections in the impugned order fail: the petitioner was permitted to retire on 30.06.2025 with no disciplinary proceedings pending, the jewel loan stands recovered, and the Tribunal awards were passed on 18.06.2025 and 06.08.2025, i.e., around his retirement.ratio¶52
Writ petition allowed: respondents directed to pay the balance amount, if any, within four weeks of receipt of a copy of the order, together with eligible interest as per the statute; no costs; connected miscellaneous petition closed.ratio¶52

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Madras High Court (Madurai Bench), single Judge (B. Pugalendhi J.), common order dated 10.12.2025 in WP(MD)No.23878 of 2025 and Cont.P(MD)No.3416 of 2025. A retired Secretary of a primary agricultural co-operative credit society (Virudhunagar District) filed a writ petition under Article 226 seeking certiorarified mandamus to quash an order dated 30.06.2025 (Na.Ka.No.3497 of 2025/OU) of the Joint Registrar of Co-Operative Societies withholding his retirement benefits on the grounds of failure to file execution petitions on two time-barred decrees and non-recovery of a jewel loan; he also filed a contempt petition under Section 11 of the Contempt of Courts Act for non-compliance with the court's interim order dated 14.10.2025 directing payment of eligible benefits retaining Rs.4,40,000/-. By the date of hearing, respondents had paid Rs.74,65,627/- (Provident Fund Rs.52,08,737/-; Gratuity Rs.18,77,402/-; Leave Salary Rs.3,74,488/-; SSD Rs.5,000/-) and the Administrator confirmed recovery of the jewel loan of Rs.2,93,000/-. Holding that once an employee is allowed to retire without disciplinary proceedings his retirement benefits must be settled within a reasonable time, failing which he is entitled to interest for the belated payment, and noting that the Tribunal awards were passed on 18.06.2025 and 06.08.2025 around his retirement on 30.06.2025, the court allowed the writ petition, directing payment of any balance within four weeks together with eligible interest as per the statute, with no costs, and closed the contempt petition.

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WP(MD)No.23878 of 2025

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BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT

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DATED : 10.12.2025

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CORAM:

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THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE B.PUGALENDHI

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WP(MD)No.23878 of 2025 and ContP(MD)No.3416 of 2025

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P.Rajendran

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...Petitioner in both petitions

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1.The Joint Registrar of Co-Operative Societies cum Chairman of Primary Agricultural Co-Operative Thrift Society Committee,

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Office of the Joint Registrar of Co-Operative Society, Old Collectorate Complex, Virudhunagar District.

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2.The Joint Registrar / Administrative, Virudhunagar District Central Co-Operative Bank, Head Office, Madurai Road, Virudhunagar District.

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3.The Deputy Registrar of Co-Operative Societies, Kalaiyarkuruchi Road, Madvarvalaagam, Srivilliputhur Town, Virudhunagar District.

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4.The Administrator, SPSPL 85 Koompatti Primary Agricultural Co-Operative Credit Society, Koomapatti, Watrap Taluk, Virudhunagar District.

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...Respondents in both petitions

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https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis

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WP(MD)No.23878 of 2025

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Prayer in WP(MD)No.23878 of 2025 : Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India to issue a writ of certiorarified mandamus to call for the records pertaining to the impugned order made in Na.Ka.No.3497 of 2025/OU, dated 30.06.2025 on the file of the 1^st respondent herein and to quash the same as arbitrary and illegal and consequently direct the respondents herein to pay all the petitioner's service benefits with statutory interest.

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Prayer in ContP(MD)No.3416 of 2025: Contempt Petition filed under Section 11 of the Contempt of Courts Act, to punish the contemnors herein for the wilful disobedience of the order passed by this court in WP(MD)No.23878 of 2024, dated 14.10.2025 under the Contempt of Courts Act.

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For Petitioner : Mr.M.Thirunavukkarasu For Respondents : Mr.G.V.Vairam Santhosh, Additional Government Pleader in both petitions

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COMMON ORDER

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The petitioner worked as a Secretary of the 4^th respondent society

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and has retired from service on 30.06.2025. His retirement benefits have

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been denied to the petitioner that he has failed to file execution petitions in respect of two time barred debts, where decree has been obtained by

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https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis

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WP(MD)No.23878 of 2025

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the society and he has filed to recover a jewel loan. Therefore, he has filed this writ petition.

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2.This court while entertaining this writ petition has passed an interim order dated 14.10.2025 directing the respondents to pay the eligible benefits to the petitioner by retaining a sum of Rs.4,40,000/-, on or before 10.11.2025.

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3.The petitioner with a grievance that the above order has not been complied with has filed a contempt petition in Cont.P(MD)No.3416 of 2025.

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4.The learned Additional Government Pleader appearing for the respondents submits that they have paid the benefits to the petitioner as follows:

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i. Provident Fund - Rs.52,08,737/- vide cheque No.375539, dated 25.11.2025;

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ii. Gratuity - Rs.18,77,402/- vide cheque No.375531, dated

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19.11.2025;

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WP(MD)No.23878 of 2025

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iii. Leave Salary- Rs.3,74,488/- vide cheque No.375540, dated

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25.11.2025;

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iv.SSD – Rs.5,000/- vide cheque No.375538, dated 25.11.2025.

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According to the learned Additional Government Pleader a sum of Rs.74,65,627/- has been paid and a sum of Rs.4,40,000/- is retained.

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5.The Administrator of the society, who is present before this court submits that the jewel loan of Rs.2,93,000/- has already been recovered.

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6.The other objections mentioned in the impugned order is that the petitioner has failed to file execution petitions pursuant to the award passed by the Tribunal. However, the learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the award itself was passed on 18.06.2025 and on

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06.08.2025, but the petitioner has retired from service.

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7.This court has considered the rival submissions made.

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WP(MD)No.23878 of 2025

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8.The petitioner has been allowed to retire from service on

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30.06.2025 and there is no disciplinary proceedings as against the petitioner. Once the petitioner is allowed to retire, the retirement benefits due to him have to be settled within a reasonable time. If it is not settled, then he is entitled for interest for the belated payment.

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9.The jewel loan amount has already been recovered. Insofar the execution petitions are concerned, the award has been passed on 18.06.2025 and on 06.08.2025, whereas the petitioner has retired from service on 30.06.2025. Taking into account these facts, the writ petition is allowed with a direction to the respondents to pay the balance amount if any within a period of four weeks to the petitioner, from the date of receipt of a copy of this order, together with eligible interest as per the statute. No costs. Consequently connected miscellaneous petition is closed.

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10.In view of the above order, the contempt petition is also closed.

10.12.2025

DSK

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WP(MD)No.23878 of 2025