Delhi HC Issues Summon To State Government For Unpaid Wages Of Employees And Teachers

The Delhi High Court on Monday issues summoned to the Delhi Government’s Finance and Urban Development Secretaries and  the Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) for failing to pay salaries to various civic employees, safai karamcharis, and teachers.

A division bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad stated that it is unfortunate that class III and IV employees are not being paid despite assurances of payments “from time to time.”

The court noted that on December 21, 2022, counsel for the defendants, Delhi Government, and MCD jointly stated that all payments would be released as soon as possible, preferably within four weeks.

Expressing displeasure over non-payment of salaries to the employees, the bench stated, “It is also strange that the pensioners are also not receiving the pensions and they are hand to mouth. This court has no choice but to order the Commissioner of MCD, Finance Secretary, and Secretary of Urban Development of the Government of NCT of Delhi (GNCTD) to appear in person.”

The court was hearing a bunch of petitions filed in the aftermath of COVID-19, alleging non-payment of salaries to various employees of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), previously divided into North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC), South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC), and East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC).

Some of the petitions were submitted by civic organization retirees who complained that their pension payments were being withheld.