25% DA pending: When will WB employees get dues as state seeks December 2026 deadline in SC?

Kolkata: The West Bengal (WB) government has once again approached the Supreme Court in the ongoing dearness allowance (DA) case, seeking time till December 31, 2026, to clear 25% pending dues for its employees.

The move comes even as the state has already begun disbursing arrears to select categories, raising concerns among employees over the delay in full payment.

According to the state’s submission, it has requested a modification of the Supreme Court’s February 5 directive, citing multiple financial and administrative challenges.

A crucial hearing in the matter is expected on April 15, where the apex court may decide on the extension plea.

Mode of payment

The state government has adopted a phased approach to clear DA arrears:

• Group D employees and retired government staff are being paid directly
• For other employees, the pending amount is being credited to their DPF accounts

Reasons for seeking extension:

The state government has cited the following reasons before the Supreme Court:

1. Severe cash crunch in the state treasury, especially during February
2. Heavy burden on the budget due to repayment of large debts
3. Increased expenditure owing to the Assembly elections
4. Administrative and logistical challenges in digitising records from 2008 to 2015

While data from 2016–2019 has already been digitised and is being processed via the Integrated Financial Management System (IFMS), older records still need to be converted from physical formats through a new portal.

Earlier, the Supreme Court had also constituted a committee to examine how 75% of DA dues could be cleared. The committee has submitted its report after meetings held in February.

The issue remains legally contentious, with the state having filed a review petition, while employee unions have initiated contempt proceedings alleging non-compliance.

For now, although partial payments have begun, a final timeline for full DA disbursement will depend on the Supreme Court’s decision, leaving lakhs of WB employees waiting for clarity.