The court’s move came as the state government faces mounting pressure over the payment of pending DA instalments to its employees and pensioners. The Punjab and Haryana High Court has given the Punjab government 10 days to seek relief from the Supreme Court in the long-pending dispute over dearness allowance (DA) arrears.
Today’s hearing could further intensify pressure on the state government, which will now have to decide its legal course within the deadline set by the High Court. The employees claimed that the Punjab government had failed to release the pending DA arrears as directed by the court and had also not filed the required compliance report. The Chief Justice-led bench made it clear that if the government fails to obtain relief from the Supreme Court in time, the High Court may pronounce its order on September 21. The matter was taken up after employees raised allegations of non-compliance with the High Court’s earlier directions issued on August 3. The latest order puts the Punjab government in a crucial position, with a 10-day window to approach the Supreme Court and seek appropriate relief in the matter.
The High Court had earlier directed the state government to release all pending DA installments within two weeks and arrears with six per cent annual interest, adding to the financial implications for the state government.
