Authority: High Court of Himachal Pradesh, Shimla
Order Date: 1 May 2024
Case Overview
- Petitioner: Er. Puneet Vatsal, retired Senior Executive Engineer (E) of Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Ltd (respondent).
- Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution seeking payment of arrears of pay, pension, gratuity, leave encashment and commutation arising from pay‑scale revision effective 1 Jan 2016.
- The Board issued a Head Office Memorandum dated 12 Apr 2022 implementing the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board (Pay Revision) Regulations, 2022, revising the petitioner’s salary and post‑retirement benefits.
- The petitioner alleges that arrears for the period 1 Jan 2016 to 31 Mar 2021 and revised pension‑related benefits have not been paid, a fact not contested by the Board.
- Reliance placed on a prior judgment of this Court dated 31 May 2023 in CWP No.2108 2023, where similar relief was granted with interest at 6 % per annum.
- The Court noted that analogous relief had also been granted in CWP No.2421 2023 on 15 June 2023.
Final Outcome
- The Court allows the writ petition and directs the respondent Board to:
1. Pay arrears of revised pay from 1 Jan 2016 to 31 Mar 2021 with interest at 6 % per annum from the due date until realization.
2. Revise and pay pension, gratuity, leave encashment and commutation benefits with interest at 6 % per annum from 1 Jan 2016 (or from 1 Dec 2020 for pension‑related items as per earlier orders) until realization.
- All amounts must be paid within six weeks of the order date.
- Any pending applications, if any, are disposed of.
Topics: Pension Arrears, Public Sector Employment, Judicial Relief