DA dues: HC tells Punjab to pursue SC challenge, gives 10 days to remove defects

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has strongly urged the state government to promptly address the issues related to the Dearness Allowance (DA) arrears of government employees. During a hearing, the Division Bench, comprising Chief Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Justice Rohit Kapoor, expressed frustration over the government's failure to comply with its August 3rd order for clearing pending DA arrears.

The court stressed that while the state has the right to challenge the High Court's order in the Supreme Court, it should not delay the process.

The court emphasized that filing an appeal is essential and urged the government to pursue it within the next ten days. The state counsel informed the court that the appeal was filed on September 1st, but the defects in the Special Leave Petition (SLP) remain unaddressed. The bench questioned why these defects were not resolved and pointed out that the State had previously informed the court about the same.

The Chief Justice urged the state to not engage in delaying tactics and to ensure that the appeal is heard within a week.

The court also highlighted the possibility of multiple litigation and directed the State to submit an affidavit outlining their compliance, including the fact that they have filed the SLP, which is likely to be listed. If the state fails to do so within the given timeframe, the court may proceed with addressing the alleged non-compliance with its earlier order. The matter has been adjourned to September 21, 2026.