Chandigarh — The Punjab and Haryana High Court has imposed a cost of Rs 1 lakh on Punjab Chief Secretary K A P Sinha for failing to submit a compliance report in a legal case concerning pending dearness allowance dues owed to state government employees and pensioners.
Justice Harsh Bunger further instructed Sinha to submit a personal affidavit by October 30 detailing compliance with previous court directives and to make a personal appearance at the upcoming hearing scheduled for November 3.
These directives were issued during proceedings on a contempt petition brought forward by employees and pensioners who alleged non-compliance with an August 3 court order. That ruling had instructed the Punjab government to disburse dearness allowance and dearness relief payments at the same rates provided to All India Services officers stationed in the state under the central government framework.
Additionally, the high court had previously barred the Punjab administration from undertaking unproductive spending, such as extensive print or social media advertising, until the outstanding employee dues were fully settled. The bench emphasized that such expenditures could not serve as grounds for withholding rightful payments from state personnel, while also stipulating that any sums remaining unsettled past the deadline would accrue simple interest at six percent annually.
The state government subsequently filed a special leave petition in the Supreme Court on September 1 challenging the high court ruling. Petitioners' legal counsel noted during the hearing that this appeal remained unlisted due to procedural defects. When state attorneys requested additional time to provide a compliance or status report, the bench dismissed the request as entirely unwarranted.
Observing the situation, the court remarked that the circumstances demonstrated a defiant posture by the respondents regarding judicial directives, which could not be legally tolerated. The bench pointed out that despite earlier opportunities given since the contempt petition was listed on August 21, the state had failed to place any formal status report on record.
Furthermore, lawyers representing the petitioners indicated that separate criminal contempt proceedings had been launched against the chief secretary concerning an allegedly false affidavit filed regarding the state's Supreme Court appeal, a matter currently before a division bench.
The single lakh rupee penalty imposed on Sinha is payable to the High Court Lawyers Welfare Fund. The bench mandated both the personal affidavit and cost submission ahead of the next appearance slated for November 3, addressing a dispute that stems from a sequence of rulings ordering the state to clear overdue dearness relief payments.