The Allahabad High Court has ordered payment of gratuity with interest to a madrasa teacher, rejecting the state’s reliance on her failure to choose retirement at 60.
In Raisa Khan v State of Uttar Pradesh, decided on 30 September 2026, the petitioner had served from August 1992 until retiring in March 2019 at 62. Authorities paid other benefits but denied gratuity because she had not exercised an option for the earlier retirement age.
Justice Irshad Ali held that gratuity is a distinct retirement benefit whose denial requires an independent legal foundation. The state had allowed and accepted the petitioner’s continued service, and could not use that same service period to defeat her claim. Payment of other dues did not answer the gratuity question.
The Court quashed the rejection order and directed calculation and payment within three months. It also awarded six per cent annual interest from 31 March 2019 until actual payment.