IN THE HIGH COURT OF HIMACHAL PRADESH, SHIMLA CWP No. 4841 of 2025 Decided on: 17.06.2025 Deepak Manta … Petitioner Versus State of Himachal Pradesh and others … Respondents Coram Hon’ble Mr. Justice Ajay Mohan Goel, Judge. Whether approved for reporting?1 _____________________________________________________ For the petitioner : Mr. Vikrant Thakur, Advocate. For the respondents : Mr. Rahul Thakur, Dy. AG for respondent-State. Ajay Mohan Goel, Judge (Oral) By way of this writ petition, the petitioner has prayed for the following reliefs:- “i. Issue an appropriate writ, order, or direction and directing the respondents to forthwith release the outstanding payment of ₹65,46,551/-*48,41,394/- due to the petitioner for the completed works, along with interest at an appropriate rate from the date of entitlement till the date of actual payment; ii. Declare that the arbitrary withholding of the petitioner's legitimate dues despite the certification of work completion is illegal, unjustified, and violative of Articles 14 and 19(1)(g) of the Constitution of India;” 2. Learned Deputy Advocate General has handed over a 1 Whether reporters of the local papers may be allowed to see the judgment? 2 copy of instructions received from the Executive Engineer, HPPWD Division Rohru, District Shimla, H.P., relevant portion whereof reads as under:- “Your kind attention is invited towards the subject cited matter and the directions passed by the Hon'ble High Court on 28.05.2025. In this regard, it is submitted that the amount of Rs. 2,13,718/-has been paid to the petitioner on 21-12- 2024 and Rs. 2,59,145/- is also paid to the petitioner on 17- 05-2025 and the balance payment of Rs. 1,13,69,817/- is still pending. The LOC has been demanded by this office. The office of Engineer-in-Chief, HPPWD Shimla further forwarded the matter to Govt. vide letter dated 28.10.2024 for arranging the funds in the matter, but, the funds has not been received till date. The payment will be made to the petitioner as and when the funds are received. In view of above, you are requested to apprise the Hon'ble High Court on the date of hearing i.e. 17.06.2025 accordingly.” 3. Taking into consideration the fact that there is an admission on the part of the respondents that balance payment of Rs. 1,13,69,817/- is still pending, this writ petition is disposed of with the direction that the said amount be paid to the petitioner within a period of six weeks from today and in case, needful is not 3 done within six weeks, then, the same shall also entail interest @ of current lending rate of the Nationalized Banks as from the date of this order. Pending miscellaneous application(s), if any, also stand disposed of accordingly. (Ajay Mohan Goel) Judge June 17, 2025 (narender)