DA Arrears Case: Major Twist in DA Arrears Case! Contempt in Supreme Court and New Hearing in High Court

DA Arrears Case: The legal battle over the pending Dearness Allowance (DA) and Revision of Pay and Allowances (ROPA) 2019 dues for West Bengal state government employees has reached a critical stage. Accusing the state government of financial deprivation, the Unity Forum has significantly escalated its legal actions, stretching from the Calcutta High Court to the Supreme Court of India. Recently, Unity Forum’s General Secretary Debaprasad Haldar shared crucial updates regarding the current status and future trajectory of these cases.

Contempt Petition in the Supreme Court

Taking a firm stance against the state’s non-compliance, the Unity Forum has filed a contempt petition in the apex court. According to a Supreme Court directive dated February 5, 2026, the state government was supposed to clear the first installment (at least 25% of the arrears) by a specific deadline (March 6 or March 31). However, the deadline passed without any payment being made. Consequently, this contempt petition was filed for defying the court’s order. Veteran legal minds like Senior Advocate Paramjit Singh Patwaria and Advocate Uddam Mukherjee are fighting this case. A combined hearing for the main case and all related contempt petitions is expected on April 15.

A New Legal Battle in the High Court for Dues

While the Supreme Court acknowledged DA as a legally enforceable right under ROPA 2009, its order only covered arrears up to December 2019. To secure the pending DA from January 2020 onwards, approaching the judiciary afresh became inevitable. Initially, a case was filed in the State Administrative Tribunal (SAT) last November. However, due to a shortage of judges there, the matter was transferred directly to the Calcutta High Court. The Division Bench of Justice Madhuresh Prasad and Prasenjit Biswas (WPST 70 of 2026) is scheduled to hear this crucial matter on April 6, 2026.

Glance at the Primary Demands

Alongside the court battles, a strong push is being made to fulfill several fundamental demands of the employees, which directly impact their day-to-day financial stability:

• DA Parity: There is a staggering 40% gap between the DA received by employees at Bangabhavan (who get 58%) and regular state employees (who get 18%). This massive discrepancy must be resolved immediately.
• Actual Payment of Notional Arrears: The 48-month salary hike that was granted only notionally on December 31, 2019, must now be physically disbursed in cash.
• HRA and Transport Allowance: State employees are demanding House Rent Allowance (HRA) and Transport Allowance at par with central government rates, which they are currently not receiving.
• Enhanced Gratuity Benefits: The ceiling for retirement gratuity needs to be increased to ₹20 Lakhs.

The Unity Forum has sent a clear message that they will fight the legal battle till the very end to ensure the rightful dues and financial security of the employees.