Punjab and Haryana High Court summons Chief Secretary over DA delay

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has summoned the Punjab Chief Secretary following the state government's failure to clear defects in an appeal filed before the Supreme Court. The appeal challenges a previous High Court order requiring the state to pay pending Dearness Allowance (DA) and Dearness Relief (DR) to employees and pensioners at rates matching All India Services officers.

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Justice Rohit Kapoor criticized the state for what it perceived as delay tactics to avoid implementing the August 3 verdict. The court noted that despite being granted additional time on September 10, the state had failed to rectify the appeal filed on September 1. The original judgment also prohibited the government from engaging in unproductive expenditures, such as large-scale advertising campaigns, until the dues are settled.