3 weeks ago
Punjab employees file Supreme Court caveat over pending DA dues
People who work for the Punjab government, like teachers and office workers, have not received a part of their pay called 'dearness allowance' for a long time.
Dearness allowance is extra money given to help workers cope with rising prices.
A court called the Punjab and Haryana High Court told the government to pay these dues within two weeks.
The government might not agree and could ask a bigger court to change the decision.
So the workers went first to the Supreme Court, the biggest court in India, and filed something called a caveat.
A caveat is a request that says, 'Please hear us before you make any decision.'
This way, the Supreme Court cannot quietly change the order without listening to the workers.
Workers from the power company, schools, and the civil secretariat all joined together to protect their rights.
Punjab government employees and pensioners have filed a caveat in the Supreme Court to ensure they are heard before any interim relief is granted.
The caveat anticipates the Punjab government challenging the Punjab and Haryana High Court order directing it to clear pending dearness allowance (DA) dues within two weeks.
The caveat was filed on August 5 in the case of Raghbir Singh versus Additional Chief Secretary to Government of Punjab, with Advocate Abhishek Gupta filing it on behalf of the employees.
Sukhchain Singh Khaira, president of the Punjab Government Employees Association, said employees of PSPCL (Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd), the school education department, and the Punjab civil secretariat jointly filed the caveat.
The employees had earlier filed eight writ petitions for the DA in the high court, and the pending DA dues amount to Rs 25,000 crore.
- Who
- Punjab government employees and pensioners, including those from PSPCL, the school education department, and the Punjab civil secretariat, represented by the Punjab Government Employees Association; Advocate Abhishek Gupta filed the caveat.
- What
- A caveat in the Supreme Court to ensure employees are heard before any interim relief is granted if the Punjab government challenges the High Court order to clear pending DA dues within two weeks.
- Where
- Supreme Court of India, following an order by the Punjab and Haryana High Court regarding the state of Punjab.
- When
- August 5, the date the caveat was filed.
- Why
- To ensure the Supreme Court cannot grant ex parte interim relief without first issuing notice to the employees and hearing their submissions.
Key facts
- Pending DA amount
- Rs 25,000 crore
- High Court order
- Clear pending dearness allowance dues within two weeks
- Case name
- Raghbir Singh versus Additional Chief Secretary to Government of Punjab
- Caveat filed on
- August 5
- Counsel for employees
- Advocate Abhishek Gupta
- Union
- Punjab Government Employees Association (President: Sukhchain Singh Khaira)
- Employees involved
- PSPCL, school education department, Punjab civil secretariat
- Earlier legal action
- Eight writ petitions filed in the high court
Quotes
Sukhchain Singh Khaira
President of the Punjab Government Employees Association
“Employees of PSPCL, school education department, Punjab civil secretariat have all got together to file this caveat. We had filed eight writ petitions for the DA in the high court earlier.”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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