A single-judge bench of Justice M Nagaprasanna pulled up the government for “insensitivity” for nearly two decades. The petitioner, working at Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College in Belgaum, had approached the court for a writ in his favor. He joined the college as a clerk in 1973 and retired after 34 years after reaching the retirement age.
Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has directed to pay gratuity along with interest to a retired state government employee, who was not paid gratuity for 16 years. In the order passed on August 9 and available recently, a single-judge bench of Justice M Nagaprasanna pulled up the government for “insensitivity” for nearly two decades. The petitioner, working at Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College in Belgaum, had approached the court for a writ in his favor. He joined the college as a clerk in 1973 and retired after 34 years after reaching the retirement age.
After his gratuity was not paid, an order came in his favor from the concerned authority in 2012, stating that he would have to pay Rs 4,09,550 along with 10 percent interest.
According to the news of Indian Express, the bench ordered that the petitioner will have to get gratuity along with 10 percent interest on the amount fixed in 2012. It was further stipulated that in case of delay beyond the 30th day of the court order, the State would have to pay a penalty of Rs 1000 per day to the petitioner in addition to interest.
The present case is pending before the High Court since 2014, as the amount was not paid to him. Taking a lenient view on the matter, the bench said, “It is common ground that gratuity is not a reward which can be withheld at the will or caprice of the employer. The behavior of the State with its employees for the last 16 years by not paying gratuity, terminal benefits reflects indifference towards the citizens, especially the retired employees, whose voice has become weak with age and hence the State does not recognize such voices. She listens. “Thus anesthesia has been demonstrated not for one or two years but for almost 2 decades.”
