DA Deadline: Today, June 27, 2025, marks a critical turning point in the Dearness Allowance (DA) case for West Bengal state government employees. The deadline set by the Supreme Court for the payment of 25% of DA arrears expired today. With no action from the state government, employee unions have escalated the confrontation, sending a stern warning to the Chief Secretary and Finance Secretary via email, stating that the message itself will be treated as a contempt of court notice.
Unions’ Decisive Action on Deadline Day
The Confederation of State Government Employees (INTUC) took a decisive step today. Union leaders Shyamal Kumar Mitra and Malay Mukhopadhyay announced that their advocate has sent a formal communication to the state’s top administrative officials, reminding them of the Supreme Court’s directive.
The notice explicitly states:
- Core Demand: The immediate publication of a government order to sanction the 25% DA arrears as mandated by the Supreme Court.
- Final Warning: If the directive is not complied with today, this email itself will be considered a “notice for contempt of court.”
- Next Step: A hard copy of this communication will be physically submitted at Nabanna, the state secretariat, on the upcoming Monday.
Through this action, the employee unions have made it clear that they are unwilling to wait any longer and are fully prepared for the next phase of the legal battle.
What Was the Supreme Court’s Order?
On May 16, 2025, the Supreme Court of India, in an interim order, had directed the West Bengal government to pay at least 25% of the pending DA arrears to its employees within six weeks. That deadline concluded today, June 27. The state government’s failure to issue any notification or order regarding the payment has led to significant discontent among employees.
Government’s Silence and Future Implications
The state government has remained silent on the matter so far. All eyes are now on its next move. Will this silence further complicate the legal proceedings? Will the government act on this notice, or will it face a contempt of court case? These questions are now circulating in the state’s political and administrative circles as lakhs of government employees await the final outcome of this protracted struggle.
