Delhi high court tells municipal corporations to release all pending wages for current, retired employees

By LE Desk

New Delhi, March 12: The Delhi high court has directed all three municipal corporation of the city to release the salaries and pensions along with the arrears of all its current and retired employees, saying that the situation has virtually returned to normal and there cannot be any justification for the non-payment of salaries.

A bench of Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Rekha Palli, while hearing a bunch of pleas seeking directions to the civic bodies to disburse their enumerations, said that salaries and pensions should be cleared on or before April 5. It said that commissioners of each of the civic body would be individually responsible for the compliance of the order, the Hindustan Times reported.

“When the matters were initially taken up, the pandemic was raging and so such a direction was not issued by the court. Since it has been made to note that the situation has virtually returned to normal, there cannot be any justification of non-payment of salaries.

“All MCDs to clear arrears of salaries and pensioners of all serving and retired employees of all categories on before April 5. The commissioners of each of MCD will be individually responsible for the compliance of this order,” the bench said.

Appearing for North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NrDMC) and South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC), its counsel told the court that the Delhi government has admittedly made a deduction in the grants that they have given to the corporation, owing to the low revenue generation in wake of COVID-19.

He, along with the counsel for East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC), told the court approval has also not been taken from the Lieutenant Governor (L-G) before making these deductions.

The court asked the Delhi government to respond to this issue on the next date of hearing and posted the matter for April 5.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/delhi-news/delhi-high-court-tells-municipal-corporations-to-release-all-pending-wages-for-current-retired-employees-101615485334176.html