( 1 ) LAXMIDAS Mohandas Patel-petitioner, aged about 80 years old, a senior citizen, has filed this petition praying for a writ of mandamus or any other appropriate writ, order or direction, directing the respondents to grant pension and pensionary benefits to the petitioner immediately with penal interest at the rate of 18% per annum.

( 2 ) THE facts giving rise to this petition are as under:2. 1 The petitioner was initially appointed as a teacher on 15. 6. 1954 in Wadi High School. The petitioner served as a teacher in Wadi High School from 15. 6. 1954 to 14. 6. 1964. Thereafter, from 15. 6. 1964 the petitioner was appointed as a Principal of Divyaprabha Kanya Vidyalaya. The petitioner served as a principal of Divyaprabha Kanya Vidyalaya from 15. 6. 1964 to 22. 6. 1975. 2. 2 It has been submitted in the petition that from 22. 6. 1975 Divyaprabha Kanya Vidyalaya was closed down and has remained closed since then. The said school had remained closed from 22. 6. 1975 and the petitioner served in that school upto that date. The District Education Officer had appointed Narayan Vidyalaya as a custodian of the record of Divyaprabha Kanya Vidyalaya from 1975. 2. 3 It has b