State Government Increases DA by 4%, But Arrears Remain Pending: The issue of Dearness Allowance (DA) for government employees in West Bengal remains unresolved despite recent developments. The state government has announced a 4% DA hike, raising the current 14% DA to 18% from April 1, 2025. However, the long-standing legal battle over pending DA arrears continues in the Supreme Court.
The next hearing for the case is scheduled for March 2025, but employees remain anxious as the hearing date has been postponed multiple times in the past. The delay in judgment has left government employees frustrated, as they have been fighting for their rightful DA for years.
14 Postponements: Will the DA Case Finally Be Heard?
The DA case has been pending in the Supreme Court since November 2022. Despite multiple scheduled hearings, the case has been postponed 14 times, raising concerns among employees. Given this history, there is apprehension about whether the case will be heard as planned in March 2025.
Adding to the uncertainty, the case might now be assigned to a new bench. Justice Hrishikesh Roy, who was previously handling the case, retired on January 31, 2025. As a result, the bench hearing the DA case will be reconstituted. The last time the case was heard, it was presented before Justice Hrishikesh Roy and Justice NV Bhat.
Reports suggest that the DA case has been registered for hearing on March 25, 2025. However, the bench that will oversee the proceedings is yet to be confirmed. Government employees and their legal representatives remain hopeful for a speedy resolution but are also wary of further delays.
DA Disparity Between Central and State Government Employees
One of the biggest concerns for state government employees is the stark difference in DA rates:
- Currently, West Bengal government employees receive 14% DA, which will increase to 18% from April 2025.
- In contrast, central government employees receive 53% DA.
- This creates a 35% gap between the DA received by central and state government employees.
The legal battle revolves around arrears from the 5th Pay Commission, while current DA rates are governed by the 6th Pay Commission. Despite the recent 4% hike, employees argue that they are still being deprived of their rightful DA.
Kolkata High Court Ruling: A Victory That Remained Unfulfilled
On May 20, 2022, the Kolkata High Court ruled that the West Bengal government must clear pending DA arrears within three months. However, despite this victory, the arrears were never disbursed.
The state government challenged the High Court ruling by filing a review petition, which was later dismissed. Following this, three state government employee unions filed contempt of court petitions against the government for failing to implement the High Court’s directive. The state government, in response, moved the Supreme Court in November 2022, leading to the prolonged legal battle.
Will the Supreme Court Provide a Final Verdict in March?
With the Supreme Court hearing now set for March 25, 2025, government employees in West Bengal are once again hopeful. Their lawyers are optimistic about a positive verdict, but the history of postponements leaves room for doubt.
The prolonged delay in resolving the DA case has caused significant financial distress to government employees. Whether the Supreme Court will finally put an end to this legal deadlock remains to be seen.
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