West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday accused the Election Commission of India of delaying the implementation of a 4 per cent Dearness Allowance (DA) hike for state government employees, turning the issue into a fresh political controversy ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections in the state.

Addressing a public rally in Barrackpore in support of Trinamool Congress candidate Raj Chakraborty, Banerjee said the file related to the DA hike had been stalled due to the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct. She claimed that her government had already announced the increase in the state budget and urged the poll body to clear it immediately. “I had stated in the budget that I would provide a 4 per cent DA hike. The Election Commission has stalled that file,” she said.

The Chief Minister further argued that the matter should not have required Election Commission intervention, as the announcement was made before the election process began. She also reiterated that her government remains committed to employee welfare, stating that 25 per cent DA has already been disbursed and assuring that the additional 4 per cent hike would be included in April salaries. “I always keep my promises,” she said during the rally, seeking to reassure state employees amid growing uncertainty over the timeline of implementation.

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Meanwhile, employee groups have raised concerns over the delay. The ‘Votkarmi and BLO Oikya Mancha’ delegation met Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Agarwal, questioning the absence of an official government order despite the budget announcement made on February 5. The organisation claimed the delay was linked to election-related restrictions and alleged that the issue was being politicised during the campaign period.

In its communication, the forum stated that a significant amount of time had passed without formal notification, urging clarity on the matter. Officials, however, indicated that procedures under election guidelines were being followed. Separately, the West Bengal government has begun implementing a Supreme Court directive to clear pending DA arrears from 2016 to 2018. Administrative sources said efforts are underway to expedite payments across departments and educational institutions.

At the broader level, the issue of Dearness Allowance continues to remain a key concern among government employees across India, with demands also intensifying for the formation of the 8th Pay Commission at the central level.

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