DA cannot be claimed as a matter of right, Kerala government informs HC

Dearness allowance (DA) is the administration’s prerogative and cannot beryllium claimed arsenic a substance of close since it is not a statutory benefit, the Kerala authorities has submitted earlier the Kerala High Court.

Also, a clip framework cannot beryllium mentioned for disbursing the DA arrears since the Union government’s policies person affected the State’s quality to get funds. The State authorities is awaiting a determination connected a plea filed by it earlier the Supreme Court connected the matter, it added. A determination connected the substance of DA could beryllium taken based connected the result of the petition and connected the ground of a argumentation determination successful keeping with funds availability.

The authorities said this successful a antagonistic affidavit submitted successful the tribunal successful effect to a petition that sought the disbursal of DA arrears of authorities employees.

The petition was filed by the Federation of University Employees’ Organisations, seeking revision of DA with effect from January 1, 2021 and its disbursal. The State authorities added that the apex tribunal had not made it mandatory to springiness DA. It had lone held that determination should not beryllium immoderate undue hold successful disbursing the DA.

Six instalments of DA person reportedly been pending for authorities employees since July 2023.