Chennai: Plea to settle retirement benefits or provide new bus

Chennai: A retired employee of Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (Villupuram) Ltd has approached the Madras high court to direct the TNSTC to disburse his retirement benefits of Rs 9.74 lakh and till then direct the TNSTC to provide a new bus as a compensation to his retirement benefits.

Justice V. Parthiban before whom the petition came up for hearing on Monday, ordered notice, returnable by eight weeks, to the TNSTC (Villupuram) Ltd.

 Petitioner’s counsel R.Y.George Williams submitted that the petitioner joined the transport corporation as a conductor on January 28, 1992, and continued to work up to February 28, 2019, and retired from service after completion of 28 years of service.

After retirement, the corporation till date has not disbursed the terminal benefits (except PF) and other benefits to me. As per the provisions of Payment of Gratuity Act, the gratuity becomes payable on the date of superannuation or on the date of retirement of the employee and when the employer fails to pay the gratuity when it becomes payable then the employer shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which shall be les than six months and which may extend up to two years. In the case of the petitioner, in spite of his retirement on February 28, 2019, the corporation has not disbursed retirement benefits such as gratuity and commutation fund, payable to him, George Williams added.

 He said as the petitioner was struggling to lead a life without monetary benefits, he was put to irreparable hardship and frustration. Therefore, he sent a representation to the authorities to disburse his retirement benefits. But, there was no response. Hence, petitioner has filed the present petition, Williams added.