Breaking: Punjab Chief Secretary summoned by HC in DA case
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, September 22, 2026: The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed Punjab’s Chief Secretary to appear personally before the court on October 5 in connection with the case concerning the release of pending Dearness Allowance (DA) to state government employees and pensioners.
The direction came during a hearing before the bench of Acting Chief Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Justice Rohit Kapoor, amid allegations of non-compliance with the court’s earlier orders.
In its August 3 order, the High Court had directed Punjab and PSPCL to release all up-to-date pending DA/DR instalments within 15 days. The court had also ordered that unpaid amounts would carry 6% annual simple interest in case of non-compliance and directed the Chief Secretary to file a compliance affidavit by August 31.
During the latest hearing, the petitioner reportedly alleged that the state had not complied with these directions. The court was also apprised of allegations regarding government expenditure on advertisements despite its earlier direction against unproductive expenditure until the dues were cleared.
The petitioner further raised questions over an alleged Finance Department condition requiring approval before implementing High Court orders.
The court was also told that the government had claimed an agreement with employees, while employees present during the proceedings disputed that any written agreement had been reached.
The development comes amid the continuing dispute over pending DA/DR dues. The Punjab government has separately approached the Supreme Court challenging the High Court's order, arguing that the outstanding amount could not be paid within the stipulated period.
The Chief Secretary is now required to appear personally before the High Court on October 5.