Chandigarh, March 26 -- The high court on Friday sought details on the release of dearness allowance (DA) to IAS, IPS, IFS and judicial officers after lower-rung Punjab government employees in a petition alleged discrimination. Taking note of the submissions, the high court bench of justice HS Brar has directed that the principal secretary, department of finance, Punjab, would file an affidavit detailing up to which date the installments of DA, on the pattern applicable to central government employees, has been paid to All India Service (AIS) officers and judicial officers serving in the state. The court has also asked to detail whether the emoluments of All India Service officers and judicial officers serving in the Punjab are being disbursed from the same consolidated fund from which the salaries of other state employees are also paid. Making it clear that if on April 1 the affidavit is not filed, the principal secretary would remain present in person, the court also sought an explanation whether any installments of DA are due and payable to the employees of the state for the period from July 1, 2023, to July 1, 2025. As per lawyer Sunny Singla, the court was dealing with petitions regarding the delay in the release of DA of employees and pensioners. The court noted that in 2023, a statement was made by the government before the court that not only the petitioners therein, but all other similarly situated employees would be granted the benefit of revised DA, as there could be no discrimination among identically placed employees. However, despite this, the installments of DA from July 2023 onwards have not been released to the serving employees and pensioners. "On the other hand, a differential treatment is being accorded to serving All India Service officers (IAS/IPS/IFS) and Judicial Officers within the State of Punjab. These officers have been receiving Dearness Allowance regularly from the actual due dates of the respective installments on the pattern applicable to Central Government employees, whereas the petitioners, along with other serving employees and pensioners, have been subjected to hostile discrimination," the court was told. The petitioners had further argued that the DA is revised by the central government twice a year, on January 1 and July 1, based upon All India Consumer Price Index. Historically, right from the recommendations of the first pay commission, the state government has been paying the DA to its employees at the rates and pattern at par with the Centre from time to time. The successive pay commissions of Punjab have consistently followed this policy, it was submitted, adding that the recommendations of the 5th Punjab Pay Commission were duly adopted by the state. Thereafter, the recommendations of the 6th pay commission to grant DA on the pattern of the Centre were approved by the state cabinet in June 2021. As many as five installments of DA in terms of the 2021 decision have been paid to the eligible employees. However, the fifth installment, which fell due on January 1, 2023, was paid on November 1, 2024, the court was told, adding that the same was being delayed by the state. Earlier on March 13, a coordinate bench of the high court had directed the Punjab government to clear all pending instalments of revised pension since 2016, dearness allowance (DA) arrears and related dues by April 30, along with 6% interest....