B.Venkatachalapathi Babu v. The Management of

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS DATED: 18.02.2026 CORAM: THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M. DHANDAPANI W.P. Nos.5144, 5147, 5151 and 5155 of 2026 B.Venkatachalapathi Babu Petitioner in W.P. No.5144 of 2026 D. Ravikumar Petitioner in W.P. No.5147 of 2026 K. Ramasamy Petitioner in W.P. No.5151 of 2026 V. Paramasivan Petitioner in W.P. No.5155 of 2026 Vs The Management of Tamilnadu State Transport Corporation (Kovai) Ltd, Rep. By its Managing Director, Coimbatore. Respondent in all W.P.s PRAYER IN W.P. No.5144 of 2026 Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying for the issuance of a Writ of Mandamus directing the respondent to pay the petitioner interest at the rate of 18 percentage per annum, for the period of delay from

01.04.24 to 24.08.25, in paying the amounts paid towards his terminal benefits namely EPF Employees Contribution and Gratuity within a time frame as may be fixed by this Court and without affecting his right to claim balance amounts towards those benefits and thus render justice PRAYER IN W.P. No.5151 of 2026 Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying for the issuance of a Writ of Mandamus directing the respondent to pay the petitioner interest at the rate of 18 percentage per annum, for the period of delay from

01.06.24 to 01.12.25, in paying the amounts paid towards his terminal benefits namely EPF Employees Contribution, Gratuity and Encashment of Leaves / Already Surrendered Earned Leaves within a time frame as may be fixed by this Court and without affecting his right to claim balance amounts towards those benefits and thus render justice PRAYER IN W.P. No.5155 of 2026 Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying for the issuance of a Writ of Mandamus directing the respondent to pay the petitioner interest at the rate of 18 percentage per annum, for the period of delay from

01.06.24 to 01.12.25, in paying the amounts paid towards his terminal benefits namely EPF Employees Contribution, Gratuity and Encashment of Leaves within a time frame as may be fixed by this Court and without affecting his right to claim balance amounts towards those benefits and thus render justice PRAYER IN W.P. No.5147 of 2026 Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying for the issuance of a Writ of Mandamus directing the respondent to pay the petitioner interest at the rate of 18 percentage per annum, for the period of delay from

01.06.24 to 01.12.25, in paying the amounts paid towards his terminal benefits namely EPF Employees Contribution, Gratuity and Encashment of Leaves / Already Surrendered Earned Leaves within a time frame as may be fixed by this Court and without affecting his right to claim balance amounts towards those benefits and thus render justice In all W.P.s For Petitioner : Mr.S.Arunachalam

For Respondents : Mr. C. Gauthamaraj

COMMON ORDER Aggrieved by the belated payment of terminal benefits and pension benefits such as EPF Employee's contribution, Gratuity and Encashment of Leaves/Already surrendered Earned Leaves and commutated value of pension, the petitioners have come up with these writ petitions seeking interest at the rate of 18% per annum, for the said delay caused on the part of the respondents.

¶2In view of the consent expressed by the learned counsel on either side, these writ petitions are taken up for final disposal at the admission stage itself.

¶3When the matter is taken up for hearing, the learned counsel for the petitioner brought to the notice of this Court, the order passed by the Co-ordinate Bench of this Court in a similar matter in W.P.No.25610 of 2024 dated

03.09.2024, wherein this Court had directed the respondent to pay interest at the rate of 6% p.a. for the belated payment of terminal benefits to the petitioner therein within a period of six (6) weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of the order.

¶4Learned counsel appearing for the respondent did not dispute the above submission made by the learned counsel for the petitioner.

¶5This Court perused the order passed in W.P.No.25610 of 2024, wherein, this Court has held as under : "5.Taking into consideration the facts and circumstances of the case and the grievance expressed by the petitioner, there shall be a direction to the respondent to pay interest at the rate of 6% p.a. for the belated payment of terminal benefits to the petitioner within a period of six (6) weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. It is made clear that if the amount is not paid within the time frame fixed by this Court, it will fetch interest at the rate of 12% p.a. from the date on which the amount became due and payable till the date of actual realisation."

¶6The aforesaid decision is squarely applicable to the facts of the present case. Accordingly, applying the ratio laid down in the above case, these writ petitions are disposed of with a direction to the respondent to pay interest at the rate of 6% p.a. for the belated payment viz., EPF Employee's contribution, Gratuity and Encashment of Leaves/Already surrendered Earned Leaves to the petitioner within a period of six weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. No costs.

18.02.2026 Index : Yes / No Speaking Order / Non-speaking order vsi2 To The Management of Tamilnadu State Transport Corporation (Kovai) Ltd, Rep. By its Managing Director, Coimbatore.

M. DHANDAPANI, J. vsi2 W.P. No

s . 5144, 5147, 5151 and 5155 of 2026

18.02.2026