Chandigarh: The Punjab and Haryana High Court has granted major relief to lakhs of Punjab government employees by directing the Punjab Government to provide Dearness Allowance (DA) on par with senior officers such as IAS, IPS, IFS, and judicial officials.
The court observed that the existing disparity in DA distribution was unjustified. Until now, senior officers were receiving 58 percent DA, while other government employees were being paid only 42 percent. The bench questioned the rationale behind this difference, noting that lower-paid employees often bear a greater burden of inflation and should not be placed at a disadvantage.
During the hearing, the state government defended its position, stating that rules permitted 58 percent DA for All India Services and judicial officers, while other employees were being paid 42 percent due to the state’s strained financial condition. The government assured that pending dues would be cleared once the financial situation improves.
However, the High Court rejected this justification and ruled that such discrimination could not be sustained. It directed the government to release the pending DA arrears to all employees by June 30.
The ruling is expected to significantly impact the state’s finances while bringing relief and parity to a large section of government staff.
