Kolkata, February 5: Employees of the West Bengal government received significant relief regarding their long-pending Dearness Allowance (DA) as the Supreme Court delivered a favorable ruling. The decision was welcomed by the Joint Forum of State government employees and various political parties on Thursday.
The coordinator of the Joint Forum, Ghosh, expressed joy over the ruling, stating it was a result of their persistent protests. He remarked, “This is a victory for all state government employees who have long been denied their rightful Dearness Allowance. The Supreme Court has made it clear that the West Bengal government must pay the overdue DA. This is the outcome of our over 1,100 days of struggle.”
Ghosh extended gratitude to all the lawyers, organizations, and the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, along with senior lawyer Vikas Bhattacharya, for their support during the movement. He urged the state government to comply with the Supreme Court’s order without delay and release the DA to employees.
On Thursday, the Supreme Court ordered the Mamata Banerjee government to pay 25 percent of the pending DA to state government employees by March 31. The bench, comprising Justices Sanjay Karol and Prashant Kumar Mishra, also directed the formation of a four-member committee to decide on the payment of the remaining 75 percent DA.
This bench had reserved its judgment on the matter last August. Previously, on May 16, the Supreme Court had issued an interim order directing the state government to provide 25 percent of the DA within three months. However, the Mamata Banerjee government sought a six-month extension, citing a lack of funds.
Opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari hailed the Supreme Court’s recent decision as a victory for the fundamental rights of government employees. In a social media post, he stated, “The Supreme Court has safeguarded the fundamental rights of state government employees in the DA matter. Today, Mamata Banerjee has been proven wrong, as she repeatedly claimed that DA is not an employee’s right. The country’s highest court has clarified that DA is not a grant but a legitimate right of employees.”
BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari noted that after years of struggle and a long wait, state government employees are finally set to receive their rightful dues as per the court’s order.
Central Minister of State for Education and Northeast Development, Sukanta Majumdar, also welcomed the Supreme Court’s ruling. He stated, “After a long struggle and unwavering resolve, state government employees are now in a position to receive their DA under legal rights. This historic achievement is a testament to the unity, patience, and determination of the employees.”
Senior leader and lawyer from the Left Front, Vikas Bhattacharya, described the ruling as a significant setback for the state government. He remarked, “If the government has any shame, it should release the overdue DA without wasting any time. The government has unnecessarily squandered time and resources fighting and delaying this matter.”
From the Congress party, Ashutosh Chatterjee stated that the party has always stood with state government employees. The Supreme Court’s decision serves as a lesson for the Mamata Banerjee government, urging them to correct their mistakes.
However, the ruling Trinamool Congress described the decision as a partial victory for the state government. Party spokesperson Arup Chakraborty noted, “The Supreme Court did not order the state government to provide 100 percent DA, but only directed 25 percent. This clearly indicates that the court understood the sensitivity of the matter.”
Since 2022, the case has seen 18 hearings postponed, as the Mamata Banerjee government appealed against contempt proceedings initiated by the Calcutta High Court in the Supreme Court.
In last year’s state budget, the DA for Bengal government employees was set at 18 percent of the basic salary, effective from April 1, 2025. Meanwhile, there remains a discrepancy of about 40 percent between the DA of central government employees and that of state employees.