The Punjab and Haryana High Court reprimanded the Punjab government for publicly misrepresenting the status of its appeal in the Dearness Allowance case through social media. The Court affirmed its August 3 order directing payment of pending DA/DR to state employees and pensioners.
P&H High Court Raps Punjab Govt for Misleading Tweets on DA Order
The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Monday strongly criticized the Punjab government for disseminating misleading information via social media regarding its appeal against the Court’s August 3 order directing payment of pending Dearness Allowance (DA) and Dearness Relief (DR) to state employees and pensioners. The bench observed that judicial orders cannot be challenged through tweets or public statements.
The Court clarified that no stay had been granted by the Supreme Court on its order, despite the state’s public assertion to that effect. It reiterated that the executive must comply with judicial mandates unless expressly stayed, and any non-compliance risks contempt proceedings. The Court emphasized that the welfare of employees and pensioners cannot be compromised by political posturing or misinformation campaigns.
The ruling reinforces the principle that public authorities must maintain decorum in litigative conduct. Lawyers handling public law matters should counsel clients against extrajudicial commentary, especially on social media. Judicial orders remain enforceable unless formally suspended, and misrepresentation may invite costs or contempt.
