Leave Cancellation: The West Bengal Finance Department’s directive on May 7, 2025, cancelling leave for state government employees amidst the Indo-Pak conflict, has sparked intense dissatisfaction among employees as it has not been withdrawn even after a ceasefire has been declared. While the Central Government has revoked its similar leave cancellation order, the West Bengal government’s steadfast stance has angered employees. In this situation, employees are not only unable to take leave for personal and family needs but also view this decision as a retaliatory measure linked to the Dearness Allowance (DA) case. Firhad Hakim, Mayor of Kolkata Municipal Corporation and a state minister, has however, defended the government’s action.
Employees’ Distress and Anger:
Various employees report facing extreme difficulties due to the leave cancellation. They are being forced to cancel pre-planned trips and are unable to attend to urgent family matters like caring for seriously ill relatives or arranging their treatment.
- One employee stated, “I had booked tickets long ago to go on vacation with my family. Now, with the leave cancelled, not only has the plan been ruined, but I will also lose a significant amount of money. This is very frustrating.”
- Another angrily said, “My sister had a heart operation the day before yesterday, and it was very important for me to be there, but I couldn’t go. I didn’t get leave because the leave cancellation is in effect.”
- Another employee shared, “My own uncle suddenly had an accident and his condition was very critical. Many units of blood were needed, and I had to arrange for that blood.”
Employees allege that they are being served show-cause notices when they apply for leave. Senior authorities are reportedly refusing to grant leave, citing the state government’s directive.
Government’s Rationale, Firhad Hakim’s Statement, and Employees’ Suspicions:
The government has cited the need to maintain public services as the reason for this leave cancellation. The directive, signed by P.K. Mishra, Additional Chief Secretary of the Finance Department, Nabanna, states that this order is being issued in the public interest and for the maintenance of government services, and will remain in force until further orders.
Defending this decision, state minister and Kolkata Municipal Corporation Mayor Firhad Hakim said: “Currently, a ceasefire is ongoing. When will the whistle blow from this ceasefire, what will happen then? These are useless talks. We are always alert. Especially regarding my municipality, I can say that we are always ready. Since the monsoon is approaching, we are already in an emergency situation.”
He essentially meant that the situation is not yet completely normal, and the administration is always prepared for other emergencies, including upcoming monsoon preparations, hence the continuation of strict measures like leave cancellation.
However, various questions have arisen in the minds of employees regarding the motive behind this directive. Many of them believe that the government is facing an uncomfortable situation due to the DA case, and this step has been taken to pressure the employees. A section of employees thinks the government is possibly trying to save money on LTC (Leave Travel Concession) and HTC (Home Travel Concession), which employees usually avail of during the monsoon season. That money could potentially be used to pay DA arrears, as the Supreme Court has ordered the state government to pay pending DA (from 2009 to December 31, 2019) to its employees.
Severity of the Situation:
The war situation has now subsided, and the Central Government has withdrawn its leave cancellation order. In such circumstances, many feel that the state government’s persistence with this directive is not employee-friendly. While employees’ personal and family lives are disrupted, such government decisions can also negatively impact the work culture. It remains to be seen how much importance the government gives to the employees’ demands in this situation and when this problem will be resolved.
