KalimNews, Kolkata, May 20, 2025 : In a significant development for state government employees in West Bengal, a recent Supreme Court directive regarding the long-pending Dearness Allowance (DA) case has reignited hope among workers, pensioners, and employees of grant-in-aid institutions. The court’s judgment mandates that employees who served between July 1, 2009, and December 31, 2019, are entitled to receive arrears for the specified period.
Moloy Mukherjee, General Secretary of the Confederation of State Government Employees, confirmed that the ruling ensures employees will be compensated for arrears dating back to 2009. This includes not only current employees but also those who retired during this period. Retired employees will receive the arrears based on their basic pension. Additionally, in the event of a pensioner’s death, their legal heirs are eligible to claim the arrears through the established legal procedures.
The case centers on the period from July 1, 2009, to December 31, 2019, during which DA was delayed due to administrative setbacks. While the DA was supposed to be implemented from July 2009, the then Left Front government delayed its rollout for five months. As a result, the ruling allows employees to claim arrears for the initial five-month period, which they had previously been denied.
The Supreme Court’s ruling also directed the West Bengal government to pay 25% of the arrears within six weeks. However, despite the court’s mandate, the state government has yet to announce a clear course of action or issue an official notification regarding the payment schedule.
Employees and various employee organizations have expressed optimism over the judgment, seeing it as the culmination of years of sustained efforts. While the ruling has brought relief, employees are now eagerly awaiting official communication about how and when the arrears will be distributed. Moloy Mukherjee emphasized that the Confederation will soon release further details about the arrears calculation and other related matters.
Though the judgment puts additional financial pressure on the state government, observers believe that the government’s goodwill and willingness to fulfill the employees’ rightful claims will be crucial in resolving the matter. For now, state government employees remain hopeful and await the government’s next steps.
Meanwhile, for the first time after the Supreme Court’s interim ruling on the Dearness Allowance (DA) case, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee made a public comment on the matter, clarifying her stance on the issue.
The Chief Minister stated, “I do not comment on matters that are sub judice. I do whatever I do in accordance with the law.” While her statement was brief, it offered a subtle hint regarding the state government’s future actions in the DA case, although she refrained from engaging in any detailed discussion.
The DA case concerning state government employees has been pending for some time, and recently, the Supreme Court issued an interim ruling on the matter. Following this ruling, there has been considerable speculation regarding the next steps that the state government will take. Mamata Banerjee’s comment further fueled the ongoing discussions and speculation about the state’s approach to the issue.
Experts believe that the Chief Minister’s remarks indicate she is confident about proceeding through legal channels, and it is expected that the state will follow the law in its final decision. As of now, all eyes are on the state government’s final decision and the next course of action regarding the DA case, with officials and employees alike waiting for further clarity.
