Chandigarh: Anticipating a Supreme Court challenge by the Punjab govt to the Punjab and Haryana high court’s order directing release of pending dearness allowance (DA) instalments, employees and pensioners have filed caveats in the apex court to ensure they are heard before any interim order is passed.The caveats were filed on Wednesday after the high court on Aug 3 directed the state govt to release the pending DA to employees and pensioners within two weeks. A caveat ensures that no order is passed without hearing the party that files it.Advocate Sunny Singla, appearing for the petitioners along with advocates-on-record Abhishek Gupta and Akshay Verma, said the employees apprehended that the Punjab govt may file a special leave petition (SLP) challenging the high court verdict.“The order covered one main petition and eight connected cases, including four Letters Patent Appeals (LPAs) and five writ petitions. We have filed caveats in five matters and will file them in the remaining four as well so that we get an opportunity to be heard if the state challenges any of them,” Singla said.The petitioners include employees of the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL), the education department, the Punjab Civil Secretariat and government colleges.The Division Bench had upheld an earlier single-judge order directing the state to release the pending DA. The verdict has significant financial implications, with arrears estimated at over Rs 14,000 crore.The Punjab govt has indicated that it is examining legal options, including approaching the Supreme Court.
