Punjab, Haryana HC Orders Punjab Govt to Pay Rs 14,191 Cr DA Arrears in 15 Days

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the Punjab government to clear the pending Dearness Allowance (DA) arrears of nearly six lakh state employees and pensioners within 15 days. The order came as a division bench of the court dismissed the state government's Letters Patent Appeal, thereby upholding an earlier judgment by a single-judge bench. This effectively confirms the government's liability to release the outstanding dues.

Dearness Allowance is a cost-of-living adjustment paid to government employees and pensioners. The arrears in question are the amounts that had accumulated over time but remained unpaid. According to estimates, the total payment will amount to approximately Rs 14,191 crore.

As per the court's directions, the Chief Secretary of Punjab must file an affidavit before the court after the payment is completed, confirming compliance with the order. This requirement ensures that the payment is actually made within the specified timeframe.

In an additional directive, the court has restrained the Punjab government from spending on advertisements and other non-essential schemes until the pending dues of employees and pensioners are cleared. The court has also said that failure to make the payment within the stipulated period would attract an annual interest of 6 per cent on the outstanding amount, an arrangement aimed at preventing further delay.

The verdict has drawn reactions across political lines. Congress MLA Pargat Singh welcomed the judgement and questioned the government's financial priorities. He said that while funds were available for other schemes, the legitimate dues of employees and pensioners had remained unpaid. He described the High Court's decision as a victory for those who had been waiting for their rightful payments.

Warris Punjab De leader and MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali also welcomed the judgement. He said his party would raise the issue on the floor of the Punjab Assembly and urged the government to release the pending arrears at the earliest, in line with the High Court's directions.

Responding on behalf of the ruling Aam Aadmi Party, MLA Manwinder Singh Giaspura said the government stands with employees and pensioners. He expressed confidence that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann would find a solution to ensure that the dues are paid in accordance with the court's order.

The High Court's ruling is expected to have significant financial implications for the Punjab government. For lakhs of serving employees and pensioners, it brings the prospect of a long-awaited settlement of their pending benefits. The state government now faces the task of arranging the necessary funds within the mandated period.