Authority: High Court of Uttarakhand at Nainital
Order Date: 07.10.2026
Case Overview
- Petitioner: Rajesh Kumar Nigam, former Company Secretary of Uttarakhand Seeds and Tarai Development Corporation Ltd., retired on 31.08.2017.
- Respondents: State of Uttarakhand and Uttarakhand Seeds and Tarai Development Corporation Ltd. (and others).
- The petitioner filed Writ Petition No. 628 of 2026 (S/B) seeking, among other reliefs, payment of interest on gratuity and other retiral dues.
- Earlier, the petitioner had filed Writ Petition No. 407 of 2021, decided on 14.06.2024, where the court declared the corporation’s withholding of gratuity, leave encashment, group insurance illegal and ordered payment of those dues.
- Respondents appealed to the Supreme Court (SLP No. 23851 of 2025); the Supreme Court dismissed the SLP on 23.05.2025.
- The corporation paid the principal dues in 2025, but the petitioner claimed interest remained unpaid and filed the present petition.
- The petitioner now presses only reliefs for interest on gratuity (relief ii) and interest on other dues (relief iii); other reliefs are not pressed.
Final Outcome
- The Court dismisses the unpressed reliefs (i, iv, v, vi).
- It orders the respondents to pay simple interest of 10% per annum on the gratuity amount from 31‑08‑2017, as per Notification dated 1 Oct 1987 under Section 7(3A) of the Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972.
- It also orders simple interest of 6% per annum on the delayed payment of leave encashment, group insurance, last month’s salary and other retiral dues from 31‑08‑2017.
- The petition is disposed of accordingly.
Topics: Legal, Employment Benefits