The Supreme Court of India has directed the West Bengal government to immediately release 25% of the outstanding Dearness Allowance (DA) arrears to its employees.
A Bench of Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra said that the state must act as a Model Employer. It also underscored the necessity of ensuring justice for the workforce.
Further, to ensure that the process is executed smoothly, the Bench constituted a committee headed by former Supreme Court Justice Indu Malhotra, Justice Tilak Singh Chauhan, and Justice Gautam Maghuria. SC asked the committee to determine the total arrear amount and a definitive payment schedule by March 6, reported Akashvani News.
The first instalment of the remaining 75% of the DA must be cleared by March 31, with a comprehensive compliance report due by April 15, the date of the next hearing.
The dispute, which spans arrears from 2008 to 2019, currently leaves a 40 per cent DA gap between state and central government employees. This verdict is expected to benefit approximately 12 lakh current and retired employees, including those who retired while the litigation was pending.
