Punjab Govt Tells SC: Paying ₹14,191 Crore DA Arrears in 15 Days Impossible

September 2, 2026

Chandigarh: The Punjab government has challenged the order of a double bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court regarding the payment of pending dearness allowance (DA) to government employees in the Supreme Court. The government has filed a Special Leave Petition (SLP) seeking relief from the order to pay the arrears of ₹14,191 crore within 15 days.

In its petition, the government stated that it is not possible to pay such a large amount within 15 days. According to the state, approximately 51 percent of its total revenue receipts are spent on salaries and pensions, while salaries, pensions, and loan interest together account for approximately 82 percent of the expenditure.

Cited Higher Salary than Central Government

The Punjab government has claimed that in many cases, the total take-home pay of state employees is higher than that of central government employees. The government stated that implementing DA at par with the central government would impose an additional financial burden on the state.

The government also argued that the Punjab Civil Services (Revised Pay) Rules, 2021, do not mandate equal DA payments with the central government. The state maintains that its financial capacity should be considered when determining DA.

Employees File Caveat

The government maintains that it is not backtracking on DA arrears and is already making payments in a phased manner. Meanwhile, Sukhchain Singh Khaira, president of the Joint Employees Forum, stated that employees will strongly counter the government’s arguments in the Supreme Court.

The employee organization has already filed a caveat in the Supreme Court to prevent the government from granting unilateral relief without hearing their concerns. The government’s SLP is now awaiting a hearing by the Supreme Court.