1 2025:CGHC:51187 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR WPS No. 1286 of 2022 1 - Katang Besra Sidar S/o Dasaram Sidar Aged About 66 Years Retired Head Master, Govt. Primary School Parsa Block Malkharida Education District- Sakti Presently R/o Village- Parsa Post- Saraskela District- Janjgir-Champa (C.G.) ... Petitioner(s) versus 1 - State Of Chhattisgarh Through - Department Of School Education, Mahanadi Bhawan, Atal Nagar New Raipur (C.G.) 2 - The District Education Officer Education District- Sakti, District- Janjgir- Champa (C.G.) 3 - The Accountant General Chhattisgarh, Raipur (C.G.) 4 - The Block Education Officer Block Malkharoda, District- Janjgir-Champa (C.G.) 5 - The Joint Director Accounts Treasury And Pension, Bilaspur (C.G.) ... Respondent(s) For Petitioner(s) : Shri Ritesh Verma, Advocate For Respondent/State : Shri Topilal Bareth, Panel Lawyer For Respondent No.3 : Shri Ashwani Shukla, Advocate ({Hon’ble Shri Justice Sachin Singh Rajput}) Order on Board 14/10/2025 1) By way of this petition, petitioner has sought following relief :- i) That the Hon’ble Court may kindly be pleased to direct the respondents to pay 18% interest in GPF amount. 2 ii) 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 Head Master in Govt. Primary School – Parsa, Block – Malkharoda, District – Sakti (C.G.) stood retired from service on 31.07.2017 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 after the proposal sent by the department, immediately thereafter, authorization letter was issued by respondent No. 3 on 27/10/2021. 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, claim of petitioner was processed and amount of GPF was paid on 10/12/2021. 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 31.07.2017. The amount of GPF released by O/o Accountant General, State of Chhattisgarh included interest part up to month of January, 2018 whereas actual payment was made to petitioner on 10.12.2021 and for a period of more than four years, 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 15/09/2021, 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. 3 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 February, 2018 till the date of actual payment. 9) With the aforesaid direction(s), this petition stands disposed of. Sd/- ({Sachin Singh Rajput}) JUDGE Deepti DEEPTI HARIKUMAR Digitally signed by DEEPTI HARIKUMAR Date: 2025.10.16 17:07:50 +0530