IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB & HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH

225 Date of decision: 11.02.2026 Manraj Singh Sooch .....Petitioner Versus State of Punjab and others .....Respondents CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE NAMIT KUMAR Present : Ms. Navreet Dhaliwal, Advocate for the petitioner.

Mr. Surya Kumar, AAG, Punjab.

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NAMIT KUMAR, J. (ORAL)

1. The instant petition has been filed by the petitioner under Articles 226/227 of the Constitution of India, seeking a writ of certiorari for quashing the order dated 24.03.2022 (Annexure P-22), whereby respondent No.1 has denied the claim of the petitioner for interest on the delayed payment of retiral benefits.

2. Briefly stated, the facts of the case are that the petitioner joined as Medical Officer in the Punjab Civil Medical Service Class-II, on a temporary basis, vide appointment letter dated 24.01.1985 (Annexure P-1) and he joined as such on 01.07.1985. He was further promoted to the post of Senior Medical Officer, vide order dated 05.10.2012. The petitioner was due to retire on 31.03.2016 upon attaining the age of superannuation of 58 years; however, he opted for extension of service for the period from 01.04.2016 to 31.03.2017 as per instructions of the Government dated 09.10.2012 and 31.10.2015.

Accordingly, the said extension was granted, vide order dated 08.04.2016 with endorsement dated 18.04.2016 (Annexure P-5). Thereafter, the petitioner applied for voluntary retirement during the extension period, vide his application dated 07.10.2016 and the same was accepted, vide order dated 04.01.2017 with effect from 07.10.2016 (Annexure P-7). As the pensionary benefits of the petitioner were not released, he served a legal notice dated 14.05.2018 (Annexure P-9) through his counsel, followed by further legal notices dated 01.12.2018 and 14.01.2019 (Annexures P-12 and P-14). Subsequently, the retiral dues of the petitioner were released between 23.03.2018 and 16.11.2018; however, no interest was paid on the delayed payments. Aggrieved thereby, the petitioner filed CWP No.5614 of 2019, which came up for hearing before this Court on 17.11.2021 and the same was disposed of with a direction to the respondents to consider the legal notice dated 14.01.2019, by passing a speaking order, preferably within a period of one month from the date of receipt of certified copy of that order. In compliance thereof, the claim of the petitioner for grant of interest has been rejected by the respondents, vide order dated 24.03.2022 (Annexure P-22), which has been impugned in the present petition.

3. Separate written statements on behalf of respondents No.1 to 4, respondent No.5 and respondent No.6 have been filed. In the written statement filed by way of an affidavit of Dr. Ranjit Singh, Director, Health & Family Welfare Punjab, Chandigarh, on behalf of respondents No.1 to 4, it has been stated as under:-

“3. That on the option/request given by the petitioner for grant of extension in service beyond the date of retirement as per policy of the State Govt., he was granted extension in service for one year w.e.f. 01.04.2016 to 31.03.2017 in accordance with the policy of the State Govt. (Annexure P-5). While allowing extension beyond the date of superannuation, apart from other conditions it was specifically mentioned in the aforesaid extension order that the pensionary benefits would be paid to the petitioner only after the completion of the period of his extension granted to him. However, later on petitioner turned his mind and requested for his retirement/cancellation of the period of extension after his superannuation from the State Govt. w.e.f. 07.10.2016 (after noon) as he did not want to continue in service beyond 07.10.2016.”

4. Along with the said written statement details with regard to release of pensionary benefits of the petitioner have been given in Annexure R-1, which reads thus:-

5. With regard to pension, it has been stated in the reply filed by way of a short affidavit of Ashok Kumar, District Treasury Officer, SAS