#gratuity recovery

Chhattisgarh High Court ruled that eight years of HRA deductions from a government employee’s salary constituted implicit permission to retain official quarters, rendering penal rent recovery of ₹4.97 lakh unlawful. The judgment reinforces that administrative actions must align with natural justice principles, protecting employees from retrospective financial penalties.

Madhya Pradesh High Court rules that recovery of Rs. 1,56,086 from a retired employee's gratuity violates the Supreme Court's Rafiq Masih judgment and state circulars mandating finalization of pension cases before retirement. The court emphasized that post-retirement recoveries without prior notice or hearing breach principles of natural justice and administrative law.

CAT Jammu holds that recovery of excess pay granted decades ago without fraud or notice is illegal; mandates release of withheld gratuity and arrears with interest.