Arrear DA Notification Today? All eyes on the Government on the Supreme Court’s deadline

Arrear DA Notification: Today is set to be an extremely crucial day for state government employees. The deadline set by the Supreme Court to clear the pending Dearness Allowance (DA) is tomorrow, June 27th. However, since tomorrow is a public holiday for Rathayatra, today is effectively the last working day. Therefore, will the state government publish the notification regarding the arrear DA today? This question is now swirling in the minds of lakhs of government employees.

Case Background and Supreme Court’s Directive

State government employees have been protesting for a long time demanding DA at central government rates. This case has moved from the Calcutta High Court to the Supreme Court. Last May, the country’s apex court gave an interim order to the state government. The bench of Justice Sanjoy Karol and Justice Sandip Mehta directed the state to pay 25% of the pending DA arrears to its employees within three months. This amount is estimated to be around ₹10,000 crore.

The state government has come under some pressure following this directive from the Supreme Court. According to sources from Nabanna (the state secretariat), the government is planning to take a loan from the market to meet this huge financial obligation. It is learned that an application for the loan has already been made. However, a significant portion may also be paid from the state treasury.

Why is Today So Important?

According to the deadline set by the Supreme Court, the state has almost no time left. Since June 27th is a holiday, today, June 26th, is the last chance to issue the notification. If the state government fails to publish the notification today, it could face contempt of court charges. Various employee unions have already warned that if they do not receive the DA within the stipulated time, they will approach the court again and file a contempt case.

Employees’ Reactions and Expectations

There has been a mixed reaction among state government employees regarding this situation. While one section is optimistic about receiving good news about the DA today, another section is angry at the government’s procrastination. According to them, DA is the rightful claim of the employees, and the government’s delay is undesirable. This pending amount is especially crucial for those who are on the verge of retirement.

Possible Scenarios

All eyes will be on the steps the state government takes today. A few possible scenarios could unfold:

• Publication of Notification: The state government might issue the notification regarding the payment of arrear DA today. In that case, it will be clear whether the amount will be paid in installments or as a lump sum.
• Request for Extension: The government could approach the Supreme Court to ask for more time. However, this possibility is considered unlikely.
• Risk of Contempt of Court: If the government takes no action, it will face the risk of contempt of court, which would not be good for its image.

Overall, today is a day of great anticipation for the state government employees. It is hoped that the answer to when the DA deadlock will be resolved will be found by the end of the day.