JUDGMENT

This order shall dispose off two writ petitions, W.P.

(C) No.3322 of 2019 titled as C.L.Ouseph Vs. Kerala State Road Transport Corporation & Others (hereinafter referred to as 'first petition') and W.P.(C) No.13515 of 2019 titled as K.R.Muraleedharan Vs. Kerala State Road Transport Corporation & Others (hereinafter referred to as 'second petition'). Both the petitioners on 28.02.2018 and 31.01.2019 retired from the service of Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (hereinafter referred to as 'K.S.R.T.C') respectively. Question involved in these two writ petitions is plain and simple as to “whether K.S.R.T.C is justified in recovering of an amount alleged to have been paid excess while disbursing the Death cum Retirement Gratuity”.

2. For answering the aforementioned question, the facts succinctly are: as per Circular No.1 dated 19.12.2012, Ext.R1(a) in the first petition, options were invited for fixation of pay on account of pay revision with effect from 2011. All the employees were required to submit duly signed option in the prescribed form, completely filled, by specifically recording the date of option within 30 days from 04.12.2012 to the Unit Officer, who was to rece