Chandigarh: The Punjab and Haryana High Court convened on Monday to deliberate on the long-pending case concerning the release of the 18 per cent pending Dearness Allowance for Punjab government employees and pensioners. Following the initial proceedings, the Bench headed by the Chief Justice adjourned the matter for further hearing on Tuesday, July 14. This scheduling has raised significant expectations among lakhs of serving personnel and retirees, who anticipate a definitive order that could finally resolve the protracted financial dispute.
The ongoing litigation originates from a pivotal High Court directive issued on April 8, 2026, which explicitly ordered the state authorities to release the pending 18 per cent Dearness Allowance to the employees. In response to that ruling, the Punjab Government and the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited filed separate Letters Patent Appeals, officially registered as LPA Nos. 1249 and 1437 of 2026 under the title of State of Punjab versus Nirmal Singh Dhanoa. These appeals effectively challenged the initial court order, leading to the current legal standoff over the financial entitlements of the state workforce.
During the extensive hearing on Monday, representatives for the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited submitted a fresh affidavit outlining the state corporation’s position on the financial disbursement. Acknowledging the new submission, the judicial Bench immediately directed the counsel representing the employees to prepare and file a comprehensive response. Given the wide-reaching impact of the case on the state’s exchequer and the livelihoods of its employees, the legal community and the workforce are closely monitoring the upcoming proceedings to see if the government will be compelled to honour its financial commitments without further delay.
