West Bengal asks Supreme Court for 6 more months to pay 25% pending DA, citing financial crisis.
Offers to deposit dues directly with SC as contempt threat looms from employee unions.
Kolkata: Today, on June 27, the West Bengal government has approached the Supreme Court requesting an extension of six more months to pay 25% of the pending Dearness Allowance (DA) to its employees.
Earlier, the Supreme Court had given the state six weeks to make this partial payment, but that deadline ended on June 27, Friday.
In its latest application, the state government explained that it is currently facing a major financial crisis and, therefore, is unable to pay the amount within the given time.
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Along with asking for more time, the state also filed a petition seeking a review of the Supreme Court’s earlier interim order.
The West Bengal government has said in its plea that it is willing to deposit the 25% DA dues directly with the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court had, on May 16, directed the state government to clear 25% of the outstanding DA arrears between the years 2009 and 2019 within six weeks.
Now that the deadline has expired, the matter is expected to be heard again in August.
During the previous hearing, the West Bengal government told the Supreme Court that a total of Rs 41,871 crore is needed to clear all pending DA dues to its employees.
Out of this, 25% equals about Rs 10,468 crore, which the state would have to pay immediately if it follows the court’s earlier order.
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At present, West Bengal government employees receive DA at a rate of 18%, while central government employees receive DA at a much higher rate of 55%.
Reacting to the state’s new application, Malay Mukherjee, General Secretary of the Confederation of State Government Employees and the main petitioner in this case, said,
“We have sent a notice to the Chief Secretary after 12 midnight on Thursday, anticipating that the state government may take this step.”
He further stated,
“The state government has been informed that we will file a contempt of court case against the state government in the Supreme Court in the coming days.”
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