Will Punjab Govt Move to Supreme Court over DA Case? Here’s What Harpal Cheema said
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, August 4, 2026: Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Tuesday said the state government was reviewing the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s recent verdict on pending dearness allowance (DA) arrears with its legal team, adding that the next course of action would be decided after examining all legal and constitutional aspects.
He informed that payments to the remaining pensioners and employees had started in instalments from April 2026. Of the total ₹14,191 crore in pending arrears, around ₹6,000 crore has been paid so far, Cheema said.
Cheema said the government remained committed to protecting the rights of employees and pensioners but believed that several important legal and constitutional issues had not been adequately considered in the High Court’s ruling.
His remarks have indicated that the Punjab Government may consider approaching the Supreme Court after completing the legal review, although no final decision has been announced so far.
The Finance Minister said the Sixth Pay Commission for Punjab government employees was constituted during the previous Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP government, but its report, submitted in 2016, was not implemented.
He alleged that the subsequent Congress government also kept the matter pending during its five-year tenure and issued a notification for its implementation just four days before the 2022 Punjab Assembly elections.
Cheema said DA arrears from January 1, 2016, to July 2021 were frozen, resulting in total pending dues of ₹14,191 crore. He alleged that the previous governments had not made any payments towards the arrears, leaving the financial liability to the present government.
The Finance Minister said the Mann government had presented a phased liquidation plan before the court, which was earlier approved. Under the plan, the dues of pensioners above the age of 85 were cleared during 2024-25, while payments to retired employees above the age of 75 were made during 2025-26.