Punjab Gets 10 Days to Seek Supreme Court Relief in DA Arrears Case

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has granted the Punjab government ten days to seek relief from the Supreme Court in the protracted dispute over dearness allowance (DA) arrears owed to state employees and pensioners.

A bench led by the Chief Justice made clear that should the government fail to obtain relief from the top court within that window, the High Court may deliver its own order on September 21.

The matter returned to the court after employees alleged that the state had not complied with directions issued on August 3. They contended that Punjab had neither released the pending DA arrears as ordered nor filed the compliance report sought by the bench.

In its earlier directions, the High Court had asked the state to clear all pending DA instalments within two weeks and to pay arrears along with six per cent annual interest — a requirement with significant financial implications for the state exchequer.

The latest order places the government at a critical juncture, leaving it to decide its legal course within the deadline. Should it secure relief from the Supreme Court, the proceedings before the High Court could be shaped accordingly.

Employees and pensioners are watching the case closely, as the release of the pending DA arrears remains a central financial demand for them. The next ten days are expected to be decisive for the state as it responds to the legal challenge over the long-unsettled payments.