25.03.2026 In The High Court at Calcutta Ct. No. 5 Circuit Bench at Jalpaiguri Sl. No.89 akd W. P. A. 362 of 2026 [Runa Laila -Vs- The State of West Bengal & Ors.] Ms. Somdutta Patra … … for the petitioner Mr. Pretom Das Mrs. Kanika Saha Sarkar … … for the State 1. Affidavit-of-service filed in court today is taken on record. 2. The petitioner’s husband was appointed as Assistant Teacher of a high school and died on 27.07.2024. Pension Payment Order (PPO) was issued in favour of the petitioner on 24.07.2025. The gratuity and arrear pension were disbursed in favour of the petitioner only on 25.09.2025. The petitioner claims interest on delayed payment of the gratuity and arrear pension amount. 3. Upon consideration of the submission made on behalf of the parties and the materials placed on record, the Director of Pension, Provident Fund and Group Insurance, Government of West Bengal (respondent no.2) and the Treasury Officer, Alipurduar (respondent no.3) are directed to pay interest to the petitioner at the rate of 8% per annum on the gratuity and arrear pension amount calculated from 27.07.2024 till the date of actual payment of the amount. Such payment shall be made within one month from the date of communication of this order. 2 4. With the aforesaid directions, the present writ petition is disposed of. 5. Since no affidavits have been filed by the respondents, the allegations made in the writ petition shall not be deemed to have been admitted. 6. Let urgent Photostat certified copy of this order, if applied for, be supplied to the parties on usual undertaking. (Gaurang Kanth, J.)