📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Harvinder Chandigarh
Politics
Punjab High Court Orders State to Pay DA-DR to Employees, Rejects Ad Plan
✍️ Amar Ujala · Punjab
🗓 31 Oct 2026, 09:05 AM
👁 2
The Punjab‑Haryana High Court has ruled that the Punjab government must pay pending Dearness Allowance and Dearness Relief to its employees and pensioners, dismissing any suggestion that advertising on celestial bodies could offset the obligation.
The Punjab‑Haryana High Court issued a stern directive to the Punjab government, stating that the state must settle arrears of Dearness Allowance (DA) and Dearness Relief (DR) for its employees and pensioners. The court rejected the notion that placing advertisements on the moon or Mars could serve as a substitute for these payments.
In its judgment, the court emphasized that the government’s obligation to provide DA‑DR is a statutory duty, not a discretionary expense. The ruling came after a petition highlighting the long‑standing backlog of payments to public servants.
The decision underscores the judiciary’s stance that public funds cannot be diverted to non‑essential projects when basic employee benefits remain unpaid. The Punjab government is now under pressure to expedite the disbursement of the pending allowances.
The court’s remarks are likely to prompt immediate action from the state administration to clear the arrears and avoid further legal scrutiny.
In its judgment, the court emphasized that the government’s obligation to provide DA‑DR is a statutory duty, not a discretionary expense. The ruling came after a petition highlighting the long‑standing backlog of payments to public servants.
The decision underscores the judiciary’s stance that public funds cannot be diverted to non‑essential projects when basic employee benefits remain unpaid. The Punjab government is now under pressure to expedite the disbursement of the pending allowances.
The court’s remarks are likely to prompt immediate action from the state administration to clear the arrears and avoid further legal scrutiny.