Authority: High Court at Calcutta (Constitutional Writ Jurisdiction, Appellate Side)

Order Date: 29 June 2026

Case Overview

  • Petition: WPA 14316 of 2026, Chittaranjan Das vs. The State of West Bengal and others.
  • Petitioner: Chittaranjan Das, former employee of Calcutta Tramways Company (1978) Limited, now West Bengal Transport Corporation Limited (WBTC Ltd).
  • Retirement: Superannuation on 31 December 2024 from the employer.
  • Provident Fund (PF) dues: Other retirement dues paid on time; PF dues released to petitioner on 13 March 2026, indicating a delay.
  • Legal claim: Petitioner prayed for interest on delayed PF payment, citing settled law that a retired employee’s right to dues accrues on the date of superannuation and interest is payable for any delay.

Court Findings & Reasoning

  • The court affirmed that the employer has a statutory duty to disburse PF amounts on the due date; failure constitutes a breach.
  • Recognising the employer’s unexplained delay, the court held the employer liable to pay interest on the PF dues.

Order

1. The concerned authority of West Bengal Transport Corporation Ltd is directed to pay the petitioner simple interest at 6% per annum on the PF dues, calculated from the next date of retirement (i.e., from 1 January 2025) until the date of actual payment.

2. The interest must be paid within four months from the date of communication of this order.

3. In case of default in paying the stipulated interest, the authority shall pay an additional 2% simple interest (making the total 8% per annum) on the PF dues.

4. The writ petition is disposed of.

5. Parties may act on the server copy of this order downloaded from the official website of the Court.

6. An urgent photostat certified copy of the order, if applied for, will be supplied upon compliance with requisite formalities.

Final Outcome

  • West Bengal Transport Corporation Ltd must pay the petitioner interest at 6% per annum on the delayed PF dues, with a possible escalation to 8% per annum if the interest is not paid within the stipulated four‑month period. The petition is dismissed.

Topics: Provident Fund, Interest on Delayed Payments, Retirement Benefits