The Supreme Court is set to announce its decision on Thursday regarding the plea filed by the West Bengal government challenging a 2022 Calcutta High Court order. The order directed the state to match Dearness Allowance for its employees with that of central government employees and clear arrears dating back to July 2009.
The verdict will be delivered by a Division Bench comprising Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra. The case concluded in the Supreme Court last September, with the Division Bench reserving its judgment, which will now be revealed after a five-month wait.
Previously, the apex court had instructed the state government to settle 25% of the pending Dearness Allowance within six months. However, the state sought an extension, leading to further hearings in August and September last year, culminating in the reserved verdict.
The dispute over Dearness Allowance originated in the state administrative tribunal and escalated to the Calcutta High Court, which ruled in favor of government employees in 2022. The state government contested this ruling in the Supreme Court, arguing that Dearness Allowance was not obligatory and differed between state and central governments due to financial disparities.
It remains to be seen whether the Supreme Court’s final decision will bring relief to state government employees regarding Dearness Allowance parity.
