J.R. Midha, J.

1. The appellants are the erstwhile officers of the respondent who opted for voluntary retirement under the Voluntary Retirement Scheme – 2008 dated 1st February, 2008 (hereinafter referred to as ‘VR Scheme’) on 25th February, 2008.

2. On 19th February, 2011, i.e. almost three years of taking voluntary retirement, the appellants filed the writ petition to claim an incentive under Scheme of Performance Linked Incentive (hereinafter referred to as ‘SPLI’) for the financial year 2007-08 which was dismissed by the learned Single Judge and is under challenge in this appeal.

Factual matrix

3. The salient features of VR Scheme of the respondent are as under:-

3.1. The employees are entitled to the benefits mentioned in Clause 7 only.

3.2. SPLI is not mentioned in Clause 7 of VR Scheme.

3.3. Clause 7.7 clarifies that no other benefit shall be available to the employees opting for voluntary retirement under the VR Scheme.

3.4. Clause 9.4 further specifies that the benefits payable under the VR Scheme shall be in full and final settlement of all claims whatsoever arising under the Scheme or otherwise and the employee will not have any claim whatsoever against the