Punjab Government moves Supreme Court against high court's order on DA Arrears
PTC News Desk: The Punjab Government on Tuesday approached the Supreme Court against the Punjab and Haryana High Court's August 3 order on Dearness Allowance. The Punjab Government in its petition filed in the Supreme Court said that it is not viable to pay employees around Rs 14,191 crore within 15 days. The government has also included salary figures of both Central government and Punjab government employees in its petition.
The Punjab government has argued that it is already paying its employees higher salaries as compared to the Central government. If Dearness Allowance (DA) is implemented, the salaries of state employees will increase further. It remains to be seen when the Supreme Court lists the Punjab government's Special Leave Petition (SLP) for hearing.
The move came after around four lakh state government employees went on mass leave on August 27 to demand the immediate release of pending DA and approval of their other demands. The protest affected several public services.
Employees have announced a district-level gathering on September 6, followed by another mass leave on September 8 at the state level. As part of their protest programme, employees will demonstrate outside the residences of ministers on September 12 and 13.
On September 30, employees plan to set up a symbolic "Employees' Assembly" in Chandigarh. They will invite all 117 MLAs and 13 MPs to attend the event. Seats will be arranged for the elected representatives, who will be asked direct questions about issues concerning employees and pensioners.
What did Punjab govt say in its plea
In the SLP filed in the Supreme Court through the Additional Chief Secretary of the Punjab Finance Department, the state government said that complying with the High Court's order within the given time was not merely difficult but "constitutionally impossible."
- PTC NEWS
