The Delhi High Court on Thursday directed the Delhi Government to release the amount deducted for the recovery of loans from the three Municipal Corporations and the same shall not be disbursed for any other purpose except payment for outstanding salary and pension due to employees.
The division bench of Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Rekha Palli noted that if the situation persists the politicians and the officers responsible will be lynched by the public at large.
The bench was hearing a bunch of petitions filed seeking direction to the Delhi Government and Municipal Corporations to release the salaries of Covid-19 Frontline workers.
Senior Advocate Maninder Singh appearing for the petitioners submitted that the Court shall not tell them where to arrange funds from. Whereas, as per the last order of the Court directing the corporations to submit the details of expenses on the top officials, Counsel appearing for the East Delhi Municipal Corporation informed the bench that 10 perks were provided to class 1 and 2 officers, out of which 8 have been discontinued in 2012.
However, Advocate Satyakam, appearing for the Delhi Government, contended that no deduction will be made on the basis of loans and our situation is not very great then why should we take loans?
Justice Sanghi stated that we all know, all of this has arisen because of the pandemic or if there is some coming in between.
Justice Sanghi further stated that before starting the matter we (Justice Palli) were discussing the matter and we cannot tell you how disgusted we are from all of you, you all are completely irresponsible, without any sense of responsibility for the poor employees and pensioners. How much do you spend on newspaper advertisements, I’ll order an inquiry into this.
“We’ll tell them not to come to work till you’re not paid, let’s see how your roads are cleaned and hospitals are run, you people are fighting cats and dogs. When is the election due for the municipality, it must be around the corner? It has more to do with the politics,”
-Justice Sanghi added.
However, the bench has directed the municipal corporations to first clear the salary of employees up to October and submit an affidavit indicating how the amount received will be utilised.
The bench ,commenting on the situations, said,
”What kind of society we are emerging into, if the situation persists the day is not far when the politicians and officers will be lynched by the public at large.”
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On the request of a counsel for listing the matter for a virtual hearing, Justice Sanghi said only the hearing is virtual, the problem is very real. The bench has listed the matter for virtual hearing on February 27.