WB DA Case: When Will Supreme Court Announce DA Verdict? Confederation President Reveals Current Status
WB DA Case: There is currently extreme anxiety and concern among West Bengal state government employees regarding the verdict of the long-pending Dearness Allowance (DA) case. Addressing this situation, Shyamal Kumar Mitra, President of the Confederation of State Government Employees, recently delivered an important message regarding the future and current status of this highly anticipated case. In light of the growing frustration among employees, he highlighted the details of the case and the reality of the judicial system.
Employee Anxiety and the Reality of the Legal Battle
Frustration has been building up among a section of government employees regarding this case, which has been going on for nearly 10 years. The legal battle, which began in 2016, is still pending in the Supreme Court. Many working and retired employees are reaching out to the organization, questioning whether a verdict will ever be delivered by the Supreme Court and, if so, whether the state government will implement it. While acknowledging these concerns as natural, Shyamal Kumar Mitra advised employees to keep faith in the judicial system.
Current Challenges and Statistics of the Judiciary
Referencing the 120th report of the Law Commission, Mr. Mitra highlighted the critical situation of the Indian judicial system. He stated that courts are struggling due to a shortage of judges and immense pressure of pending cases. Citing the famous dialogue “Tarikh pe Tarikh” from the movie ‘Damini’, he remarked that this has become a reality rather than just a movie line.
According to statistics, the state of the judicial system is as follows:
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Join on Telegram| Description | Statistics |
|---|---|
| Required Judges (per 1 lakh population) | 50 |
| Available Judges (per 1 lakh population) | Only 21 |
| Total Pending Cases Nationwide | Approx. 4.5 Crore |
| Pending Cases in High Courts | 65 Lakh |
| Pending Cases in Supreme Court | Approx. 88 Thousand |
Past Successes: The Battle Was Not in Vain
While many employees feel that this long agitation has yielded no results, Shyamal Kumar Mitra reminded them that significant success has been achieved in the past due to this legal battle. Due to pressure and orders from the Calcutta High Court, employees received DA arrears in phases:
- First Phase: On the orders of the Division Bench of Justice Nishita Mhatre and Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty, an additional 15% DA was received w.e.f. 01/01/2018.
- Second Phase: Subsequently, another 25% DA was secured w.e.f. 01/01/2019.
- Total Achievement: In total, 40% DA on the old pay scale was realized solely due to this case. In 2022, this case was even recognized as the ‘Best Case’ in the Calcutta High Court.
When Will the Final Verdict Be Announced?
The biggest question remains: when will the final verdict come? In this regard, Mr. Mitra clearly stated that it is impossible to predict a specific date or make a forecast about the verdict announcement. The verdict can only be expected on the day the relevant two-judge bench sits and the case “Confederation of State Government Employees and Others vs. State of West Bengal and Others” appears in the court’s ‘Cause List’ or ‘Supplementary Cause List’. Guessing a specific date beyond this process is baseless.
He opined that if demands are not met through agitation, employees have no other option but to rely on the judicial system.
