M.Ramesh v. The Government of Tamilnadu

Page1 of 22 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS DATED: 24-02-2026 CORAM THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE M.DHANDAPANI AND WP NO. 5482 OF 2026,WP NO. 5485 OF 2026,WP NO. 5491 OF 2026,WP NO. 5493 OF 2026,WP NO. 5497 OF 2026,WP NO. 5498 OF 2026,WP NO. 5500 OF 2026,WP NO. 5452 OF 2026,WP NO. 5458 OF 2026,WP NO. 5472 OF 2026,WP NO. 5479 OF 2026,WP NO. 5480 OF 2026 M.Ramesh Staff No. D25067 , Special Grade Driver-Retd., S/o. Mahadevan, No. 204, 7th Main Road, Gomathi Puram, Thirunindravur, Poonamallee, Tiruvallur 602 024 ..Petitioner(s) Vs ..Respondent(s) Page2 of 22 WP No. 5482 of 2026 N.Ravichandran Staff No. D 14503, Special Grade Driver Level 5 Retd S/o Natarjan, No 1/615, South Lakshmi Nagar11th street Mudichur, Mannivakkam, Kanchipuram 600 048 ..Petitioner(s) Vs ..Respondent(s) WP No. 5485 of 2026 K.Thirunavukkarasu Staff No. C15925, Special Grade Conductor Retd S/o Kanniappan, No C1, Karthick Street, Vijaya Garden, Nellikuppam, Thiruporur Taluk, Chengalpattu 603 108 ..Petitioner(s) Page3 of 22 Vs ..Respondent(s) WP No. 5491 of 2026 J.Baskaran Staff No. D13932 Driving Instructor -Retd S/o.Jayachandran, No.48, Bharathi Nagar 1st Street, Villivakkkam, Chennai-600 049 ..Petitioner(s) Vs Page4 of 22 ..Respondent(s) WP No. 5493 of 2026 H.Bin Hussain Staff No. D14432 Driving Instructor Retd S/o.Haja Bande Nawaz, No.44, Ganesh Nagar, Arikkambedu, Vellanur Post, Tiruvallur-600 062 ..Petitioner(s) Vs ..Respondent(s) WP No. 5497 of 2026 S.Jayanathan Staff No. A 23234 Foreman-Retd S/o.Subramanian, No.4, Nagavalli Amman Kovil Street, Siranjeevi Nagar, Avadi, Tiruvallur-600 054 Page5 of 22 ..Petitioner(s) Vs ..Respondent(s) WP No. 5498 of 2026 R.Manivannan Staff No.A 23149, Senior Trades Man Level-5-REtd S/o.Ranganathan, No.1, V.O.C. Street, Madhavaram, Tiruvallur-600 060 ..Petitioner(s) Vs ..Respondent(s) Page6 of 22 WP No. 5500 of 2026 P.Barathiyar Staff No.C 13300, Senior Trades Man Level-6-Retd S/o.Pandurangan, No.2/53, New Street, Poonthottam Post, Cuddalore-608 201 ..Petitioner(s) Vs ..Respondent(s) WP No. 5452 of 2026 M.E.Loganathan Staff No. D16668, Special Grade Driver-Retd., S/o. Ethiraj, No. 7, 5th cross street, Ezhil Nagar, Karapakkam Post, Kancheepuram 600 097 ..Petitioner(s) Vs Page7 of 22 ..Respondent(s) WP No. 5458 of 2026 R.Ragupathy Staff No. D 14565 Driving Instructor -Retd S/o.Radhakrishnan No.21, Gandhi Nagar Sri Devi Nagavalli Amman Kovil street Ambattur Tiruvallur -600 054 ..Petitioner(s) Vs Mount road, Pallavan Salaim Page8 of 22 ..Respondent(s) WP No. 5472 of 2026 A.Elangovan Staff No. C 14551, Special Grade Conductor Level -5-Retd.,) S/o.Annamalai, No.17/ 34, Dr.Ambedkar Street, Old Thirumangalam,Anna Nagar, Chennai-600 040. ..Petitioner(s) Vs ..Respondent(s) WP No. 5479 of 2026 A. Sampath Staff No D50052 Special grade Driver -Retd S/o Appasamy, No 16/31,Venkatesapuram New clony 2nd Street, Kannigapurma, Perambur, Chennai 600 012 ..Petitioner(s) Page9 of 22 Vs ..Respondent(s) WP No. 5480 of 2026 P.Surendran Staff No. D25235, Special grade Driver - Retd S/o Pandurangan, No 171, 4th Block, Bharathwaj Nagar, Varatharajapuram Nagar, Mudichur, Kanchipuram 600 048 ..Petitioner(s) Vs Page10 of 22 ..Respondent(s) Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying for issuance of a Writ of Mandamus, directing the respondents to settle the interest for the belated payment of retirement benefits such as Gratuity , Earned Leave, Provident fund, and other retirement benefits payable to the petitioner with 6 percent rate of interest within the time frame that may be stipulated by this Honble court. WP No. 5482 of 2026 Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying for issuance of a Writ of Mandamus, directing the respondents to settle the interest for the belated payment of retirement benefits such as Gratuity , Earned Leave, Commutation of pension, Provident fund, and other retirement benefits payable to the petitioner with 6 percent rate of interest within the time frame that may be stipulated by this Honble court. WP No. 5485 of 2026 Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying for issuance of a Writ of Mandamus, directing the respondents to settle the interest for the belated payment of retirement benefits such as Gratuity , Earned Leave, Commutation of pension, Provident fund, and other retirement benefits payable to the petitioner with 6 percent rate of interest within the time frame that may be stipulated by this Honble court. Page11 of 22 WP No. 5491 of 2026 Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying for issuance of a Writ of Mandamus, directing the respondents to settle the interest for the belated payment of retirement benefits such as Gratuity , Earned Leave, Commutation of pension, Provident fund, and other retirement benefits payable to the petitioner with 6 percent rate of interest within the time frame that may be stipulated by this Honble court. WP No. 5493 of 2026 Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying for issuance of a Writ of Mandamus, directing the respondents to settle the interest for the belated payment of retirement benefits such as Gratuity , Earned Leave, Provident fund and other retirement retirement benefits payable to the petitioner with 6 percent rate of interest within the time frame that may be stipulated by this Honble court. WP No. 5497 of 2026 Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying for issuance of a Writ of Mandamus, directing the respondents to settle the interest for the belated payment of retirement benefits such as Gratuity , Earned Leave, Provident fund and other retirement retirement benefits payable to the petitioner with 6 percent rate of interest within the time frame that may be stipulated by this Honble court. WP No. 5498 of 2026 Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying for issuance of a Writ of Mandamus, directing the respondents to settle the interest for the belated payment of retirement benefits such as Gratuity , Earned Leave, Provident fund and other retirement retirement benefits payable to the petitioner with 6 percent rate of interest within the time frame that may be stipulated by this Honble court. Page12 of 22 WP No. 5500 of 2026 Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying for issuance of a Writ of Mandamus, directing the respondents to settle the interest for the belated payment of retirement benefits such as Gratuity , Earned Leave, Commutation of pension, Provident fund, and other retirement benefits payable to the petitioner with 6 percent rate of interest within the time frame that may be stipulated by this Honble court. WP No. 5452 of 2026 Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying for issuance of a Writ of Mandamus, directing the respondents to settle the interest for the belated payment of retirement benefits such as Gratuity , Earned Leave, Provident fund, and other retirement benefits payable to the petitioner with 6 percent rate of interest within the time frame that may be stipulated by this Honble court. WP No. 5458 of 2026 Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying for issuance of a Writ of Mandamus, directing the respondents to settle the interest for the belated payment of retirement benefits such as Gratuity , Earned Leave, Commutation of pension, Provident fund, and other retirement benefits payable to the petitioner with 6 percent rate of interest within the time frame that may be stipulated by this Honble court. WP No. 5472 of 2026 Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying for issuance of a Writ of Mandamus, directing the respondents to settle the interest for the belated payment of retirement benefits such as Gratuity , Eared Leave, Commutation of pension, Provident fund, and other retirement benefits payable to the petitioner with 6 percent rate of interest within the time frame that may be stipulated by this Honble court. Page13 of 22 WP No. 5479 of 2026 Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying for issuance of a Writ of Mandamus, directing the respondents to settle the interest for the belated payment of retirement benefits such as Gratuity , Earned Leave, Commutation of pension, Provident fund, and other retirement benefits payable to the petitioner with 6 percent rate of interest within the time frame that may be stipulated by this Honble court. WP No. 5480 of 2026 Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying for issuance of a Writ of Mandamus, directing the respondents to settle the interest for the belated payment of retirement benefits such as Gratuity, Earned Leave, Commutation of pension, Provident fund, and other retirement benefits payable to the petitioner with 6 percent rate of interest within the time frame that may be stipulated by this Honble court. For Petitioner(s): Mr.N.Sudhagar Nagaraj in all the WPs. For Respondent(s): Mr.S.Balamurugan, GA for R1 Mr.A.Vinothraj for MTC in all the WPs. C O M M O N O R D E R These Writ Petitions have been filed seeking a direction to the respondents to settle the interest for the belated payment of retirement benefits as sought for in the aforesaid prayers respectively payable to the petitioners herein with 6 percent rate of interest, within a time frame as fixed by this Court. Page14 of 22

¶2It is the case of the petitioners that they joined the service of the second respondent Corporation during the years 1963, 1986, 1988, 1992, 1994, 1996 & 1997 and was allowed to retire from service during the years 2019, 2020, 2023 and 2024 respectively. However, their terminal benefits as stated in the aforesaid prayers namely, Gratuity, Earned Leave, Commutation of pension, Provident fund and other retirement benefits have been settled only on

28.11.2022, 30.10.2024, 16.04.2025 and 25.08.2025 respectively. Therefore, the petitioners claimed 6% interest on the belated settlement of retirement benefits and they have also made a common representation on 03.06.2025 to pay interest for the belated settlement of retirement benefits which have not evoked any response so far. Hence, the present Writ Petitions.

¶3Heard the learned counsels appearing on either side and perused the materials available on record. With the consent of both sides, the Writ Petitions are taken up for hearing at the admission stage itself.

¶4Since the issue involved in these Writ Petitions is one and the same, they are taken together and disposed of by way of a common order.

¶5In view of the limited request made by the petitioners with regard to interest on the belated settlement of retirement benefits, this Court directs the respondents to pay interest at the rate of 6% p.a. for the belated payment of Page15 of 22 retirement benefits as stated supra in the aforesaid prayer of the petitioners from the date of retirement till the date of actual disbursal of the retirement benefits of the petitioners, if there is no impediment in disbursing the same, within a period of six weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order, taking into account the bank rate of interest on deposits.

¶6Accordingly, these Writ Petitions are disposed of. There shall be no order as to costs. 24-02-2026 Index: Yes/No Speaking/Non-speaking order DP To Page16 of 22 WP No. 5482 of 2026 To WP No. 5485 of 2026 To Page17 of 22 WP No. 5491 of 2026 To WP No. 5493 of 2026 To Page18 of 22 WP No. 5497 of 2026 To WP No. 5498 of 2026 To WP No. 5500 of 2026 To Page19 of 22 WP No. 5452 of 2026 To WP No. 5458 of 2026 To Mount road, Pallavan Salaim Page20 of 22 WP No. 5472 of 2026 To WP No. 5479 of 2026 To Page21 of 22 WP No. 5480 of 2026 To WPoNo.o5449oofo2026 M.DHANDAPANIoJ. DP WPoNo.o5449oofo2026 AND WPoNO.o5482oOFo2026,WPoNO.o5485oOFo2026,WPoNO.o5491oOFo2026,WPo NO.o5493oOFo2026,WPoNO.o5497oOFo2026,WPoNO.o5498oOFo2026,WPoNO.o 5500oOFo2026,WPoNO.o5452oOFo2026,WPoNO.o5458oOFo2026,WPoNO.o5472o OFo2026,WPoNO.o5479oOFo2026,WPoNO.o5480oOFo2026 24-02-2026 Page22oofo22