High Court directs Punjab chief secretary to appear on October 5 over non-compliance of DA order
PTC News Desk: The Punjab and Haryana High Court has taken a strict stance over the pending Dearness Allowance (DA) owed to Punjab government employees. During Tuesday’s hearing, the court summoned the state’s Chief Secretary and directed him to appear in person at the next hearing on October 5.
Earlier, the High Court had asked the Punjab government about its compliance with the order to pay the pending DA within 15 days. The government responded that it had filed a petition challenging the order in the Supreme Court.
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The High Court then directed the government to seek an early hearing in the Supreme Court. It also said that if the matter was not taken up soon, the High Court would continue hearing the case.
The court further observed that challenging a judgment does not mean the order can simply be left unimplemented.
In August, while directing the Punjab government to release the pending DA, the High Court had also said that the government should not spend money on print or internet advertisements until the DA dues were paid.
The Court added it was informed that the appeals had been filed on September 1, but the defects pointed out by the Registry had not been removed. “On our asking about the status of the State’s SLP lying in defect, we are informed on behalf of the petitioners that none of the defects have been removed. It is submitted that the State is not proceeding in a fair manner, and the attempt somehow or the other is to drag the proceedings. Prayer accordingly is made to take cognizance of the act of disobedience on part of the State authorities and proceed as well.”
The Bench then recorded the stand of the State that it was attempting to amicably resolve the issue, and that they be granted two weeks’ further time to get the defects removed. “In a matter of the present kind, where the interest of all State employees and pensioners are involved, and the judgment of the Court was delivered on August 3, we would have expected the State to act with promptness in pursuing the legal remedies available to it. Till date, the Chief Secretary has not filed an affidavit of compliance in terms of the order dated August 3,” the Bench said.
- PTC NEWS
