Supreme Court Upholds West Bengal Employees' Rights in DA Arrear Battle

The Supreme Court's interim order mandates West Bengal to pay 25% of outstanding Dearness Allowance to government employees within three months. The decision was welcomed by employee associations, citing it as a victory against the state's prolonged denial of dues. Over six lakh employees are set to benefit.

In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court has directed the West Bengal government to disburse 25% of the outstanding Dearness Allowance (DA) to its employees within a three-month deadline. This interim order was in response to the state's plea against a Calcutta High Court ruling.

Sangrami Joutho Mancha's convenor, Bhaskar Ghosh, expressed relief, stating that this decision was a crucial step towards ensuring the fair treatment of government employees who had been denied their rightful dues for years.

The ruling Trinamool Congress vowed compliance with the order, while the opposition celebrated it as a pivotal victory, criticizing the state government's financial priorities. The directive is set to benefit nearly six lakh employees, a significant demographic in West Bengal.

(With inputs from agencies.)