In a major move just minutes before theElection Commission of India (ECI) announced the schedulefor the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Sunday declared that her government will begin clearing long-pending Dearness Allowance (DA) arrears.
Taking to X, CM Banerjee stated that the payout would follow the schedule previously outlined by the Supreme Court.
“I am happy to announce that our Ma-Mati-Manush government has delivered on its promise to all its employees and pensioners, and to lakhs of teachers and non-teaching staff of our educational institutions, as well as employees/ pensioners of our other grant-in-aid institutions like panchayats, municipal bodies, other local bodies etc,” Banerjee wrote.
“They will start receiving their ROPA 2009 DA arrears from March 2026 onwards as per the modalities detailed out in the Notifications issued by our Finance Department.”
Meanwhile, the Election Commission of India announced Sunday that Bengal will witness a two-phase election with polling on April 23 and April 29.
The counting of votes will take place on May 4, along with that in Assam,Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry.
The DA payout announcement follows a Supreme Court ruling on February 5, which affirmed that DA is an “enforceable right” and not a discretionary bounty.
A bench comprising Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra directed the state to release 25 per cent of the outstanding arrears by March 31.
To ensure compliance, the apex court also constituted a high-level committee chaired by former Supreme Court judge Justice Indu Malhotra, alongside Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan and Justice Gautam Bhaduri.
The committee was tasked with finalising a binding payment schedule for arrears spanning the decade from 2008 to 2019.
According to the court’s timeline, the first instalment of 25 per cent of the due DA arrears must be cleared by March 31, with a comprehensive compliance report due by April 15, the date of the next hearing.
The Supreme Court verdict covers DA arrears from 2008 to 2019 and is expected to benefit around 12 lakh current and retired state employees, including those who retired during the litigation.
However, despite the ruling, a 40 per cent DA gap persists between state and Central government employees.
The payout is a massive fiscal undertaking for the state.
According to Finance Department sources, the total arrears amount is estimated to be approximately Rs 25,000 crore.
Only last week, the state government moved the Supreme Court seeking an extension to December, citing expenditures related to the upcoming elections and GST rationalisation.
However, with the poll dates now live, the government appears to have opted for immediate implementation.
The Sangrami Joutha Mancha, the organisation that has spearheaded the legal battle for years, welcomed the news.
“This proves that if you fight for your demands with patience and faith in the law, you can succeed without being tethered to a political party,” said leader Bhaskar Ghosh.
Opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari, however, slammed the move as a desperate “poll gimmick”.
“What a JOKE!” Adhikari posted on X.
“Mamata Banerjee suddenly remembers lakhs of employees just MINUTES before the Election Commission announces poll dates?
Not a single paisa will actually be released.”
“Zero accountability, zero funds, zero delivery – only empty notifications from your Finance Department to fool the People one last time.
Classic TMC election drama.
West Bengal is watching.
This time the joke is on you Mamata Banerjee,” he added.
Atri Mitra is a highly accomplished Special Correspondent for The Indian Express, bringing over 20 years of experience to his reporting.
His work is characterized by deep regional knowledge and a focus on critical administrative and political developments, establishing strong Expertise and Authority in his domain.
Experience
Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express.
Decades of Experience: Over two decades of extensive reporting experience, primarily covering administration and political news.
Geographical Focus: Holds significant reporting experience from West Bengal, Bihar, and the North-East, providing a comprehensive understanding of the socio-political landscape in these regions.
Key Coverage: Has dedicated more than ten years to covering administration and political news, with a keen focus on political developments in West Bengal.
Electoral Reporting: Demonstrated a commitment to crucial political moments, having covered the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2010 assembly elections during his time at Anandabazar Patrika, and the 2019 Bihar Lok Sabha election while working with News18-Bangla.
Career Foundation: Began his career at the leading vernacular daily Anandabazar Patrika, where he worked for more than fifteen years, including a three-year stint as the Bihar correspondent.
Advanced Degree: Holds a Master's degree in Economics from Rabindrabharati University, providing an analytical framework for his political and administrative reporting.
Undergraduate Education: Holds a Bachelor's degree from Calcutta University.
Prestigious Alumni: His educational background includes attending esteemed institutions: he is an alumnus of St.
Xavier's, Kolkata and Ramakrishna Mission Asrama, Narendrapur.
Atri Mitra's decades of dedicated reporting, substantial focus on political and administrative beats, and solid academic credentials make him a trusted and authoritative source for news and analysis from Eastern and North-Eastern India....
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