Supreme Court rules no interest on delayed medical expense reimbursement for Government servants

The Supreme Court ruled against awarding interest on delayed reimbursement of medical expenses for a Government servant, emphasizing the limited right to reimbursement without entitlement to interest. The Court held that the State is not obligated to pay interest for delays in reimbursing medical expenses, despite precedents where interest was awarded in similar cases. The dismissal of a previous special leave petition did not establish a precedent for interest payment, leading to the dismissal of the current petition seeking interest on medical expense reimbursement.

---

---

Issues involved: Claim for reimbursement of medical expenses including interest on delayed payment.

Summary:
The Supreme Court considered a case where a petitioner sought reimbursement of medical expenses incurred in a private hospital for heart disease. The High Court directed payment of the amount but denied the petitioner's claim for interest at 12%. The petitioner contended that interest should be paid based on precedents where interest was awarded in similar cases. However, the Court held that the petitioner's right is limited to reimbursement without entitlement to interest for delayed payment. The Court emphasized that the State should not be obligated to pay interest for delays in reimbursing medical expenses. The dismissal of a previous special leave petition did not establish a precedent for awarding interest. Therefore, the Court dismissed the special leave petition, ruling against the payment of interest on delayed reimbursement of medical expenses for a Government servant.

---