Clear pension, DA arrears by April 30, High Court tells Punjab

In a sweeping order with statewide implications, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the Punjab government to clear all pending instalments ofrevised pension, Dearness Allowance (DA) arrears and related dues to pensioners by April 30, 2026, along with 6 per cent interest on delayed payments.

Justice Harpreet Singh Brar, while allowing five connected petitions led by Surinder Singh and others versus State of Punjab and others on Thursday, ruled that Dearness Allowance is a legally enforceable right and cannot be withheld on the ground of financial constraints.

The court also noted that more than 35,000 pensioners have died since January 1, 2016 while awaiting the release of arrears, observing that elderly retirees had been forced to litigate in their “sunset years” even as rising medical expenses and inflation eroded their savings.

Quoting from a recent Supreme Court ruling in State of West Bengal versus Confederation of State Government Employees, West Bengal (2026), the High Court observed: “DA is a legally enforceable right… Once the governing rules provide for its payment, the State is under a corresponding obligation to release the same.

The plea of financial constraints was expressly rejected by the Court, observing that constitutional obligations cannot be defeated on the ground of paucity of funds.”
The judgment has been directed to operate “in rem” (meaning it applies universally to all similarly placed persons and not only to the petitioners), thereby extending the benefit automatically to every pensioner across Punjab, including retirees of state boards and corporations such as PSPCL and the Mandi Board.

The court ordered that all up-to-date instalments under the payment plan approved by the Punjab Council of Ministers on February 13, 2025 and due till February 28, 2025 must be released to pensioners on or before April 30, 2026 along with interest at 6 per cent per annum on delayed payments.

The order also covers arrears of leave encashment payable till April 2026.

Justice Brar further directed that pensioners must be paid all admissible revised dues strictly according to the Cabinet-approved schedule.

The court warned that any default or deviation from the schedule would attract interest at 9 per cent per annum on the delayed amount until its actual realisation.

To ensure compliance, the court directed the Punjab Chief Secretary to file an affidavit through a responsible officer within three months of receiving a certified copy of the order, detailing the steps taken to implement the directions.

Any deviation from the order could invite contempt proceedings under Article 215 of the Constitution.

“Keeping a Cabinet decision in a state of suspended animation for an inordinately long period is not merely a procedural irregularity; it is fundamentally opposed to public interest,” the court observed.

“The essence of governance lies not merely in the act of taking decisions but in translating them into concrete outcomes.”
The ruling comes more than four years after the Punjab Civil Services (Revised Pay) Rules, 2021 were notified and over a year after the Cabinet approved the phased payment schedule for pension arrears.

Appearing for the petitioners were advocates Sunny Singla with Riti Aggarwal, P K Goklaney with Ashish Goklaney, and A S Walia.

The state was represented by senior advocate Vikas Chatrath and others.

Manraj Grewal Sharma is a senior journalist and the Resident Editor of The Indian Express in Chandigarh, where she leads the newspaper’s coverage of north India’s most politically and institutionally significant regions.

From Punjab and Haryana to Himachal Pradesh and the Union Territory of Chandigarh, she oversees reporting at the intersection of governance, law, politics and society.

She also reports on the diaspora, especially in Canada and the US.

With a career spanning journalism across several countries, academia and international development, Manraj brings a rare depth of perspective to regional reporting.

She is widely regarded as a leading chronicler of Punjab’s contemporary history and socio-political evolution, particularly its long shadow of militancy, federal tensions and identity politics.

Her book, Dreams after Darkness, remains a definitive account of the militancy years and their enduring aftermath.

Professional Background & Expertise
A gold medalist in mass communication and a post-graduate in English literature, Manraj has a multifaceted career spanning journalism, academia, and international development.

She was also awarded a fellowship by National Foundation of India and did several in-depth pieces on Manipur.

Internationally, she has reported from Israel, US, UK, Myanmar, and Mauritius
Her key focus areas include:
Regional Politics, History, Agriculture, Diaspora, and Security.

Of late, she has started focusing on Legal & Judicial Affairs: Much of her recent work involves reporting on high-stakes cases in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, ranging from environmental policy to civil rights.

International Consulting: She previously served as a consulting editor for the Asia Pacific Adaptation Network and a publishing consultant for the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Manila.

Academia: For five years, she was the managing editor of Gender, Technology and Development, a peer-reviewed international journal at the Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok.

Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025)
Her recent reportage focuses heavily on judicial interventions and regional governance:
1.

Environment & Governance
"‘NGT can’t test legality of policy’: HC hears challenge to Punjab’s ‘Green Habitat’ plan" (Dec 22, 2025): Covering a critical legal battle over whether the National Green Tribunal has the authority to strike down a state policy regularizing farmhouses on delisted forest land.

"High court pulls up Punjab poll panel over audio clip probe" (Dec 10, 2025): Reporting on judicial concerns regarding the transparency and fairness of local body elections.

2.

Legal Rights & Social Welfare
"HC issues notice to Punjab, Haryana over delay in building old age homes" (Dec 22, 2025): Reporting on a contempt petition against top officials for failing to establish government-run homes for the elderly as promised in 2019.

"Victims can appeal acquittals in sessions court without seeking special leave" (Dec 19, 2025): Highlighting a significant procedural shift in criminal law following a Supreme Court ruling.

"HC upholds benefits for Punjab FCI officer acquitted in 20-year-old bribery case" (Dec 19, 2025): A report on the concept of "honourable acquittal" and its impact on employee benefits.

3.

Human Rights & Identity
"As Punjab denies parole to MP Amritpal Singh, HC asks it to submit ‘foundational material’" (Dec 1, 2025): Covering the legal proceedings regarding the radical preacher and sitting MP's request to attend Parliament.

"Protecting life paramount: HC backs Muslim woman in live-in after verbal divorce" (Nov 6, 2025): Analyzing judicial protections for personal liberty in the context of traditional practices.

Signature Beats
Manraj is recognized for her ability to decode complex judicial rulings and relate them to the everyday lives of citizens.

Whether it is a 30-year-old land battle in Fazilka or the political implications of Kangana Ranaut’s candidacy in Mandi, her writing provides deep historical and regional context.

@grewal_sharma on X
manrajgrewalsharma on Instagram...

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