After court rap, Ludhiana education department finally clears BPEO’s pending dues

The education officials told the court that the finance department deducted a small amount to be transferred to the BPEO following which the counsel of the complainant objected to the same and demanded full payment

Twenty days after a local court attached the district education officer’s (DEO) salary for failure to pay 9% interest against the delay in releasing retirement funds to a former block primary education officer (BPEO), the complete payment was finally released on Wednesday, over four years after the latter’s retirement.

The DEO had been asked to explain why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against her, as despite submitting an undertaking on December 15,2021, the department failed to release the benefits. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

According to the former BPEO’s counsel, out of ₹1.26 lakh, the finance department had deposited ₹1.11 lakh in the account of the beneficiary, three days before the DEO was to appear in court.

The education officials told the court that the finance department deducted a small amount to be transferred to the BPEO following which the counsel of the complainant objected to the same and demanded full payment. Eventually the court, on Wednesday, ordered the department to pay the pending dues following which the amount of ₹15,000 was also paid to the complainant.

Earlier, the DEO was summoned to appear in person and her salary was attached by the court of Harsimranjit Singh, civil judge (senior division), Ludhiana.

The DEO had been asked to explain why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against her, as despite submitting an undertaking on December 15,2021, the department failed to release the benefits.

The order of salary attachment was pronounced against the plea submitted by the counsel of the applicant, Rajwinder Kaur, who said that the amount had not been cleared by the department.

The officials in the education department had blamed the finance department for the delay.

BOX

The Case

According to Rajwant Kaur, who retired as BPEO in 2017, the department delayed the release of her retirement benefits and funds, following which she sought interest for the same.

Last year, the court ordered the education department to pay her 9% interest. After the department failed to comply with the orders, the court on October 13, 2021, issued a warrant of property attachment to the education department.

The counsel for the respondents on October 29, 2021 submitted an affidavit in the court agreeing to pay the interest to the applicant. The department sought more time to make the payment, but failed to do so.