SAT adjourns hearing in contempt plea against West Bengal govt

The SAT had ordered that the West Bengal government employees are entitled to get DA at a rate to be calculated on the basis of the all India Consumer Price Index. The SAT had directed that the state government employees are also entitled to get arrears of DA within a period of one year, or before giving effect to the recommendation of the Sixth Pay Commission set up by the state government, whichever is earlier.

The West Bengal State Administrative Tribunal on Wednesday adjourned hearing in a contempt petition by a workers' union that alleged non- compliance of its order by the state government on payment of dearness allowance (DA) to its employees. The bench comprising judicial member Justice (retd) RK Bag and administrative member SK Das asked the state's lawyer Gautam Pathak Banerjee to take instructions in the meantime from the government on compliance of its order of July 26, 2019.

Granting an adjournment on a prayer by the state government lawyer, the tribunal bench directed that the matter will be taken up for hearing again in mid-December. The SAT had ordered that the West Bengal government employees are entitled to get DA at a rate to be calculated on the basis of the all India Consumer Price Index.

The SAT had directed that the state government employees are also entitled to get arrears of DA within a period of one year, or before giving effect to the recommendation of the Sixth Pay Commission set up by the state government, whichever is earlier. The SAT had on July 8 this year rejected a review petition by the West Bengal government of its order.

The tribunal held that the petitioners have "miserably failed" to establish any ground for review of the judgment and order passed by the tribunal in the original application.