1 2025:CGHC:41905 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR WPS No. 1641 of 2022  Nawal Kishor Dewangan S/o Mohan Lal Dewangan Aged About 64 Years Retired Head Master, Government Middle School Kudri Block Malkharoda Education District Sakti, Presently R/o Village Post Adbhar District Janjgir-Champa, Chhattisgarh., District : Janjgir-Champa, Chhattisgarh ... Petitioner(s) versus 1. State Of Chhattisgarh Through Department Of School Education, Mahanadi Bhawan, Atal Nagar New Raipur, Chhattisgarh., District : Raipur, Chhattisgarh 2. The District Education Officer Education District Sakti, District Janjgir-Champa, Chhattisgarh., District : Janjgir-Champa, Chhattisgarh 3. The Accountant General Chhattisgarh Raipur Chhattisgarh., District : Raipur, Chhattisgarh 4. The Block Education Officer Block Malkharoda, District Janjgir- Champa, Chhattisgarh., District : Janjgir-Champa, Chhattisgarh 5. The Joint Director Accounts Treasury And Pension, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh., District : Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh ... Respondent(s) For Petitioner : Mr. Anil Mourya, Advocate For State : Ms. Shailja Shukla, Dy. G.A. For Respondent No. 3 : Mr. Ashwani Shukla, Advocate Hon’ble Shri Justice Rakesh Mohan Pandey Order On Board 19-08-2025 Digitally signed by AJINKYA PANSARE Date: 2025.08.20 10:18:05 +0530 2 1) By way of this petition, petitioner has sought following relief :- 10.1 That the Hon’ble Court may kindly be pleased to direct the respondents to pay 18% interest in GPF amount. 10.2 Any other relief, which the Hon’ble Court deems fit and proper under the facts and circumstances, may also be provided to the petitioner. 2) Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that petitioner who was working on the post of Upper Division Teacher in Govt. Middle School – Kudri, Block – Malkharoda, District – Sakti (C.G.) stood retired from service on 31.08.2020. He further submits that petitioner was entitled to receive the amount of GPF immediately after retirement but same was paid to him by the respondent authorities belatedly on 10.12.2021, therefore petitioner is praying for a direction to respondent authorities to make payment of interest on the GPF amount @ 18% from the date it became due till the date of actual payment. 3) On the other hand, Mr. Ashwani Shukla, counsel appearing on behalf of respondent No. 3 i.e. O/o Accountant General, State of Chhattisgarh submits that proposal was sent by the department on 28.06.2021 i.e. after more that nine months and immediately thereafter, authorization letter was issued by respondent No. 3. He further submits that delay in belated payment is attributable to the State authorities. 4) Learned State counsel submits that immediately after receiving the authorization letter from respondent No. 3 on 09.09.2021, 3 claim of petitioner was processed and amount of GPF was paid. She further submits that there was no delay on the part of State authorities. 5) Heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the material available on record. 6) Evidently, petitioner stood superannuated on 31.08.2020. The amount of GPF released by O/o Accountant General, State of Chhattisgarh included interest part up to month of February, 2021 whereas actual payment was made to petitioner on 10.12.2021 and for a period of nine months, petitioner has not been paid interest on the GPF amount. 7) Admittedly, necessary documents including recommendation/ authorization were forwarded by the concerned State authority to O/o Accountant General, State of Chhattisgarh on 28.06.2021, therefore, it can safely be presumed that there was delay on the part of State authorities/ department and State authorities are liable to make payment of interest amount to petitioner. 8) In view of the above, State authorities are directed to make payment of interest @ 10% on the amount of GPF amount from the month of March, 2021 till the date of actual payment. 9) With the aforesaid direction(s), this petition stands disposed of. Sd/- (Rakesh Mohan Pandey) JUDGE Ajinkya