P. Vara Laxmi Vs The State of Telangana — Writ and Judicial Review | Telangana HC (2025)

P. Vara Laxmi Vs The State of Telangana — Writ and Judicial Review | Telangana HC (2025)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Respondents directed to release and pay the six enumerated pensionary benefit amounts (Gratuity (TG) Rs.2,60,184/-; Gratuity (CS) Rs.13,39,816/-; Commutation (TS) Rs.3,13,671/-; Commutation (CS) Rs.16,15,247/-; Final Leave and Half Pay Leave Encashment Rs.7,40,354/-; ZP Gross Provident Fund Final Rs.17,93,231/-) as expeditiously as possible, preferably within ten (10) weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of the order; no order as to costs; miscellaneous applications pending, if any, stand closed. The order makes no mention of the claimed interest @ 24% per annum.

Issue for consideration

Whether the respondents' action in not releasing and paying the petitioner's pensionary benefits - Gratuity (TG) Rs.2,60,184/-, Gratuity (CS) Rs.13,39,816/-, Commutation (TS) Rs.3,13,671/-, Commutation (CS) Rs.16,15,247/-, Final Leave and Half Pay Leave Encashment Rs.7,40,354/- and ZP GPF Final Rs.17,93,231/- - is illegal, arbitrary and discriminatory and violative of Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution, warranting a writ of mandamus for payment together with interest at 24% per annum from the date of retirement.

Court's answer

With the consent of both parties, the writ petition is disposed of at the admission stage directing the respondents to release the petitioner's six enumerated retirement benefit amounts - Gratuity (TG) Rs.2,60,184/-, Gratuity (CS) Rs.13,39,816/-, Commutation (TS) Rs.3,13,671/-, Commutation (CS) Rs.16,15,247/-, Final Leave and Half Pay Leave Encashment Rs.7,40,354/- and ZP Gross Provident Fund Final Rs.17,93,231/- - as expeditiously as possible.

Ratio / Principle

The release is to be effected preferably within a period of ten (10) weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of the order; there shall be no order as to costs.

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Service law - pensionary benefits - release of retirement dues. A retired employee from Khammam, aged 62 years, who retired on the date printed as 37.07.2024, filed a writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution complaining that the respondents had not released (i) Gratuity (TG) Rs 2,60,184/- (Token 2522675311 dt.30-08-2024), (ii) Gratuity (CS) Rs 13,39,816/- (Token 2522675293 dt.30-08-2024), (iii) Commutation (TS) Rs 3,13,671/- (Token 2522675350 dt.30-08-2024), (iv) Commutation (CS) Rs 16,15,247/- (Token 2522675336 dt.30-08-2024), (v) Final Leave and Half Pay Leave Encashment Rs 7,40,354/- (Token 2523342037 dt.20-12-2024) and (vi) ZP GPF Final Rs 17,93,231/- (Token 2522703434 dt.17-09-2024), alleging the non-payment to be illegal, arbitrary and discriminatory contrary to Articles 14 and 16 and seeking mandamus with interest at 24% per annum. The Government Pleader stated the bills were already processed but payment was withheld for dearth of funds, releases to follow the seriatim of token numbers. Held, with the consent of parties and at the admission stage, the writ petition is disposed of directing the respondents to release the six enumerated amounts as expeditiously as possible, preferably within ten (10) weeks from receipt of a copy of the order; no order as to costs; miscellaneous applications, if any, stand closed. The Court makes no pronouncement on the legality of the non-payment or on the claimed interest.

[³³⁰⁴ ]

HIGH COURT^{FORTHE STATE OF TELANGANA} AT HYDERABAD (SPecial Original Jurisdiction)

TUESDAY,^{THE EIGHTH DAY OF APRIL} TWO THOUSAND^{AND TWENTYFIVE}

PRESENT

THE HONOURABLE^{SRIJUSTICENAMAVARAPU RAJESHWARRAO} WRIT PETITION NO: 104^{59 0F 2025}

Between:

P. Vara Laxmi,^{Wo. P. P. Venkateswarlu-,Age'62 Years,occupationRetiled} ir ri.2p uEh^{schooiiac-traguoErn,V"ltandu,_Khammam. R/o. H. No. 5-198,} srinagar colony,^{R"i;,v N';y;, (h;tt;;:i'PPo No lo-016877/sP)' PPo} tD 31103166

...PET|T|ONER

AND

l,TheStateofTelangana,RepresentedbyitsSpecialChiefSecretary,Finance anJ Flrnning^{Depirtment,Secretariat,.Hyderabad'}

z inu strt"^{or"Grdngu;i",R"pr*ented by'its Principal Secretary' School} Education Department,^{Secretariat,HyderaDao'}

s ihe Directo,^{,it rreasrii.sand Accouirts, lnsurance Building, Abids,} Hvderabad.

a OLitici lieasury^{Officer, Khammam District, Khammam'}

5 Chief Executive^{Officer' Zilla Parishad, Khammam}

...RES'ONDENTS

Petition under^{Article226 of the Constitutionof lndia praying that in the} Circumstancesstatedintheaffidavitfiledtherewith'theHighCourtmaybe pleasedtodeclaretheactionoftheRespondentsinnotreleasingandpayingthe pensionary benefiti^{which includes (i) Gratuity (TG) amount of Rs 2'60'1841with} Token No 2522675311 ,^{dated 3o-o}-2024, (ii) Gratuity (cS) amountof} Rs.13,39,8.16/.withTokenNo.2522675293,dated3o7o9.2o24(iii)Commutation (TS)amountofRs.3,,13,671/-withTokenNo.2522675350'dated30-08-2024'(iv) Commutation^{(CS) amountof Rs'16,'15,2471with Token No 2522675336 ' dated} 30-08-2024,^{(v) Final Leaveand Half Pay Leave Encashment amountof Rs'} 7,40,3541-^{with Token No 2523342037,dated20-12-2024(vt) ZP GPF Final} amount of^{Rs.'17,93,231l-with TokenNo 2522703434'daled 17-09-2024 as} illegal, arbitrary,^{discriminatory, and violationof articles 14 and 16 of Constitution} of lndia by^{issuing appropriate writ, order or directionmore particularly in the} natureofMANDAMUSandconsequentlydirecttheRespondentstoreleaseand

pay the pension )en€fits with interest @ 24 percentage per rnnum from date of retirement to till ti e date of actual payment is made.

IA NO: 1 OF 2025

Petition un(ler s;ection 151 cPc praying that in the circrrmstances stated in the affidavit fileo rrr support of the petition, the High court may be pleased to direct the Respondents to r,:lease and pay the pensionary benefits, which includes (i) Gratuity (TG) am.un: of Rs.2,60,184/- with Token No.282267531 1, dated 30_082024, (il) Gratuity (C;li) amount of Rs 13,39,8.,l6/- with Toke,n N,r.2522675293, dated 30-08-2024 (ti) Commutation (TS) amount of Rs 3,1r),671/_ with Token No.2522675350, dated 30-08-2024, (iv) Commutation (CS) amount of Rs.16,15,2471- wrlh t-rken No. 252261s336, dated 3o-o}-201'.4, (v) Final Le4ve and Half Pay Leave Encashment amount of Rs. 7,40,354.,_ with Token No. 2523342037, date,l 20.12-202a (vi) Z.p. GpF Final amount of t?s.1t,,93,231A with Token No. 252270343tt, dated 17-09-2024 forthwith pending dis;posal of the above writ petition.

Counsel for the Pertitioner: SRI K.RAMA SUBBA RAO Counsel for the Respondent Nos.j,3 & 4: Gp FOR FINANCE pLANNING Counsel for the Respondent No.2: Gp FOR EDUCATION Counsel for the Respondent No.5: SRI K.PRADEEP REpDy, SC FOR Mppzpp

The Court made the forlowing: ORDER

i I

I I

THE HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE NAMAVARAPU RAIESHWAR RAO

WRIT PETITTON No.1O459 OF 2025

ORDER:

With the consent of both the parties, this Writ Petition is taken up for disposal, at the admission stage.

Heard Mr. K.Rama Subba Rao, learned counsel for the petitioner and learned Government Pleader for Finance appearing for respondent Nos.l, 3 to 4, learned Government Pleader for Education appearing for respondent No.2 and Mr. K.Pradeep Reddy, learned Standing Counsel appearing for respondent No.5.

Learned counsel for the^petitioner submits that the^petitioner retired from service on 37.07.2024 and till now, her retirement benefits were not released by the respondents.

Learned Government Pleader submits that the bills^pertaining to the retirement benefits of the^petitioner are already^processed. However, due to dearth of funds, the amounts could not be^released to the petitioner on time. Learned Government^{Pleaderfurther} submits that as per seriatim of the token numbers,^{amounts will be} released to the beneficia ries.

Having regard to the above submissions, this Writ^petitionis disposed of directing the^{respondentsto releaseGratuity (TG)}

amount of Rs.2,60,LB4/-^{with TokenNo'2522.67531Ldated} 30.08.2024 Gratuity^{(CS) amount of Rs.13,39,816/- with Token} No.252267:293dated30.OA.2024,Commutation(TS)amountof Rs.3,13,671l- with^{rokenNo.2522675350dat€:d'iO'oB'2024,} Commutatic n^{(CS) amount ofRs.L6,15,247/ urith Token} No.2522671;336dated30.OB.2024,FinalLeaveandHalfPayLeave Encashmeni: anlount of^{Rs.7,40,354/- with Token No'21523342037} dated 20.12.2024,^{ZP Gross Provident Fund Final amountof} Rs.17,g3,2:',1/" with^{TokenNo-2522703434 dat':dL7 '09'2024'} pertainingtothepetitioner,asexpeditiouslyaspossible,preferably within a^{perioc oF} ten^{(10) weeks from the date of receipt of a copy} of this orde-.^{There shallbe no order as to costs'}

ny, shall stand closed. / M is,ce lla nr:ous Pelitiols.Pg-ldi^{ng, if a} SD/-P. CH. NACiABHUSHAIfi^BA EEPUTY REGI9TRAR w ,TRUE COPY// SECTION OFFICER

To 1 The SDec al Chief^{Secretary, Finance and Planning Dep:rtmernt' Secretariat'} Hvderbba l. State of Telanqana.

2 if ; P;;; i;rl^{ii"i|.etrrv,Sdnool Education Department'iecrt;tariat'} Hvderaba l. State of^Telangana.

J i#-D;;;;r;' ireisuries"ano^{Accounts, lnsuranceBuilling Abids'} Hvderaba L

4 oisirict Tr:asurv Officer,^{Khammam District, Khammam} .

Chief Exe rutive^Officer ,^{Zllla Parishad.Khammam} -.

6 on" ct t,, snL^K RAMA^{SUBBARAo, Advocate[oPUC]} 7 i;; ccr io c' roi^{FINANCE PLANNING'High-court for the State ot} Telanqan,r, at Hyderabad. IOUTI

I i;; ic; i;e''F-dR EDUCATIdN,^{Hish court for the state} 'rf^relangana'at Hvderabal IOUT]

9 6i,"-cdi,istiik^{pnnoeEpREDDY, sc FoR MPPZPT'[oF'uc]} 10 Two CD^(:opie s

PSK. BS

CC TODAY

HIGH COURT

DATED:0810412025

ORDER

WP.No.10459^{of 2025}

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DISPOSING^{OF THE WRIT PETITION} WITHOUT^COSTS

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