DA Case Update: The Supreme Court today heard new arguments from the state government in the ongoing Dearness Allowance (DA) case. Following the hearing, Bhaskar Ghosh of the Sangrami Joutha Mancha and advocate Bikram Banerjee provided details, suggesting that the state government is attempting to prolong the case.
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What Happened in the Supreme Court Today?
During the hearing for West Bengal government employees’ Dearness Allowance, the convenor of Sangrami Joutha Mancha, Bhaskar Ghosh, and their lawyer, Bikram Banerjee, stated that the state government presented new and misleading information to the court. They emphasized that these arguments had never been raised in the tribunal or the High Court previously.
Based on today’s court observations and arguments from both sides, several key points have emerged:
State Government’s New Arguments
The state government’s counsel, Kapil Sibal, introduced two main new arguments during the session:
- Misleading Comparison with Tamil Nadu Model: The state government claimed it is paying DA to guest house employees in Chennai at the same rate as the Tamil Nadu government. The Sangrami Joutha Mancha strongly refutes this. Bhaskar Ghosh stated, “In reality, the Tamil Nadu government was paying a higher DA than the AICPI rate at that time,” adding that they possess evidence to support this claim.
- New Interpretation of ROPA: The second argument revolved around the Revision of Pay and Allowances (ROPA). The counsel argued that the entitlement to DA is not directly mentioned in ROPA but is based on two subsequent ‘Clarificatory Memorandums’. The court itself questioned why these points were being raised for the first time at the Supreme Court.
Sangrami Joutha Mancha’s Reaction and Strategy
Both Bhaskar Ghosh and advocate Bikram Banerjee described the state government’s move as a “dilatory tactic” aimed at delaying the proceedings.
What Bhaskar Ghosh Said:
Ghosh reassured employees not to be misled by these new arguments. He believes the state is deliberately prolonging the case to break the employees’ morale and weaken them financially, hoping they can no longer afford effective legal representation. “We will win this fight. The court also understands the government’s delaying tactics,” he said confidently.
Advocate Bikram Banerjee’s Analysis:
Advocate Banerjee confirmed that they have a fitting response to the government’s new arguments, which will be presented in court at the appropriate time. “The government has nothing left but these dilatory tactics,” he remarked, adding that the state is introducing these new points simply to extend the hearing.
When is the Next Hearing?
The next hearing in this critical case is scheduled for next Tuesday at 2 PM. On that day, Kapil Sibal is expected to conclude his arguments for the state, after which the lawyers for the employees’ unions will present their counter-arguments. Millions of state government employees are now anxiously awaiting Tuesday’s hearing.
