7th Pay Commission arrears update: Former and current employees have got relief from High Court.
In what will come as a huge relief for these government employees, it has been decided that 7th Pay Commission arrears will be cleared soon. This was indicated by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) in its submission before the High Court on Monday through its counsel.
In the latest news, it has been revealed that the MCD counsel has affirmed its commitment to the Delhi High Court regarding the settlement of outstanding 7th Pay Commission (7th CPC) arrears related to the recommendations owed to employees – both current and former.
Question of Rs. 738 crore
MCD representatives appeared before a division bench chaired by Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora, revealed that some Rs. 738 crore, dubbed as “basic tax assignment,” is expected to be received from the Delhi government soon. When that happened, MCD representatives said the disbursal of outstanding 7th CPC arrears will be done promptly.
Former employees retirement benefits
Not just the 7th Pay Commission arrears, MCD also committed itself to addressing the retirement benefits of former employees and that too within a 12-week timeframe. It also indicated it will ensure timely payment of salaries and pensions for current and former employees going forward.
High Court sets deadline
The High Court bench stressed MCD’s responsibility to fulfill them and directed the Delhi government to release the Rs. 738 crore 7th CPC arrears within just 10 working days.
Consequences of not releasing
If these commitments were not followed by action on the ground, it would empower petitioners to initiate contempt proceedings against the MCD Commissioner. To keep an eye on the matter, the case was slated for compliance review on July 23, 2024.
Where things stand
As far as the Delhi government is concerned, its counsel revealed to the court that necessary paperwork is being worked on. However, it asked for an extension until April 25 to process the payment.
How the case has progressed
The Delhi High Court deliberated on the delayed salary and pension payments by MCD under the 7th Pay Commission dispensation, and also took cognizance of outstanding arrears. In fact, just on March 1, 2024, the court expressed its concern over the financial stability of MCD itself because of extreme lengthy delays in settling the 7th Pay Commission arrears.
