IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH CWP-4303-2026 (O&M)

Date of decision: 12.02.2026 Punnu Ram ....Petitioner Versus State of Punjab and others ....Respondents CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE HARPREET SINGH BRAR Present: Mr. Surinder Garg, Advocate for the petitioner.

Mr. Vikas Arora, DAG, Punjab.

Mr. Rehatbir Singh Mann, Advocate for respondent No.3.

HARPREET SINGH BRAR J. (Oral)

1. Prayer in this writ petition filed under Articles 226/227 of the Constitution of India, is for issuance of a writ in the nature of mandamus, directing the respondents to release interest @ 18% per annum to the petitioner on the delayed payments of retiral benefits.

2. Learned counsel for the petitioner, inter alia, contends that the petitioner was appointed as Safai Sewak on 02.06.1984 and retired as such, on 30.06.2022 from the office of respondent No.3. After his retirement, the respondent No.3 withheld the retiral benefits of the petitioner for a period of 2-3 years despite there being no departmental or criminal proceedings against him. Feeling aggrieved, the petitioner approached this Court by filing CWP-23728-2022, which was disposed of on 17.10.2022 with a direction to respondent/competen