There’s new activity regarding the Dearness Allowance (DA) case for West Bengal state government employees following a recent Supreme Court directive. The Government Employees Council has written to the state’s Chief Secretary and Finance Secretary, urging them to follow the top court’s order. This letter highlights the latest situation in the DA case and the expectations of the employees.
Key Developments:
The Government Employees Council sent this letter on May 23rd. The letter mentions that on May 16th, the Supreme Court gave an important instruction to the West Bengal government. According to this instruction, the state government must immediately pay at least 25% of the pending Dearness Allowance to all its employees. The letter states that the Supreme Court gave this directive upholding the Calcutta High Court’s division bench judgment dated May 20th, 2022. It’s worth noting that the state government had challenged the Calcutta High Court’s ruling in the Supreme Court.
Demand of the Government Employees Council:
The Government Employees Council has also attached a copy of the Supreme Court’s order with their letter. Their main demand is that the state government should respect the Supreme Court’s directive and implement it within the next six weeks. The Council believes this step could end the long wait for lakhs of state government employees.
Background and Next Steps:
The Dearness Allowance issue is a very significant matter for government employees in West Bengal. They have been campaigning for a long time to receive DA at par with central government rates. Courts have also ruled in their favor at various times. This recent Supreme Court directive is expected to increase pressure on the state government. It now remains to be seen what action the state government takes in response to this letter and the Supreme Court’s order. Employee organizations are also watching the state government’s stance to decide their next course of action. This situation will undoubtedly have an impact on the state’s administrative and economic spheres.
