ORDER :

1. The above petitions are filed seeking quashing of the orders of the Controlling Authority/Appellate Authority under the Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972 (‘the Act’ for short) awarding gratuity amount claimed by respondent No. 1 with interest at 10% per annum.

The particulars of the impugned orders are as follows:

S. No. Writ Petition Date of order Amount awarded

Controlling Authority Appellate Authority

1. 46017/2017 16.12.2014 06.01.2016 Rs. 85,758/-

2. 46019/2017 15.12.2014 06.01.2016 Rs. 84,116/-

3. 46105/2017 15.12.2014 -- Rs. 1,24,615/-

4. 46106/2017 15.12.2014 -- Rs. 1,59,547/-

5. 46107/2017 17.12.2014 -- Rs. 1,81,220/-

6. 46108/2017 16.12.2014 06.01.2016 Rs. 47,114/-

2. The petitioners are the Government bodies being part of the Department of Panchayat Raj. Respondent No. 1 in the above cases were initially employed as daily wage workers. The Government by its order regularized the services of respondent No. 1 with certain cut off dates. Respondent No. 1 retired from the services on receiving their pension amounts and gratuity.

3. After such retirement, they submitted the applications before the Controlling Authority claiming that they were enti