The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Tuesday issued a contempt notice to Punjab Chief Secretary K A P Sinha over the state government’s failure to comply with its directions on payment of pending dearness allowance (DA) arrears to employees and pensioners. The court also directed Sinha to file a compliance affidavit by November 13 and appear in person on November 17, the next date of hearing.A Bench of Justice Harsh Bunger was hearing a contempt petition filed by a retired chief engineer of the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL), alleging non-compliance with the High Court’s August 3, 2026, directions to clear pending DA and Dearness Relief (DR) arrears by August 18.On August 3, the court had directed the Chief Secretary to ensure strict compliance with its order and submit a compliance report before the High Court Registry by August 31. However, the court was informed that no compliance report had been filed.On October 27, the High Court had imposed costs of Rs 1 lakh on the state government for failing to file a reply in the contempt petition. It had also directed Sinha to appear personally on November 3 and explain the steps taken to implement its earlier directions. The court had sought a personal affidavit from him detailing the action taken.During Tuesday’s hearing, the Punjab government submitted that its Special Leave Petition (SLP) challenging the August 3 order had been cured of all procedural defects and was likely to be listed before the Supreme Court shortly after Diwali. However, counsel for the petitioners pointed out that the appeal had not yet been assigned a case number.Also Read | Explained: Why the Supreme Court may be hearing too many Special Leave PetitionsThe High Court made it clear that merely filing an appeal before the Supreme Court did not absolve the state of its obligation to comply with its directions. Unless the Supreme Court stayed or modified the order, the state remained bound by it.The court was also unconvinced by the government’s argument concerning the six per cent annual interest stipulated on delayed DA payments. It questioned whether the state believed it could indefinitely defer payment and discharge its obligation merely by paying interest.Story continues below this adObserving that DA was an entitlement of employees and not charity extended by the government, the court said the state could have proposed clearing the arrears in instalments if it was unable to make the entire payment at once. However, no concrete proposal had been placed before it.The government sought more time, citing the substantial financial burden involved in clearing the arrears.Also Read | DA hike: How is DA calculated, what hike means for employees, exchequerOn August 3, a Division Bench of the High Court had directed the Punjab government and PSPCL to release all pending DA/DR instalments to employees and pensioners, respectively, at the rates applicable to All India Services officers serving in Punjab, in accordance with the Central Government pattern, within a fortnight. The order also stipulated six per cent annual interest on delayed payments.According to a status report filed by the Chief Secretary before the High Court, the state’s outstanding DA/DR liability for the period from July 1, 2021, to September 30, 2026, stands at Rs 22,818 crore. The total outstanding liability towards employees and pensioners has been pegged at Rs 32,418 crore.Story continues below this adThe matter will now come up for hearing on November 17.