Delhi HC issues notice to MCD over non-payment of salaries to teachers

The Delhi High Court on Monday issued notice to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) on a plea moved by several teachers over non-payment of salaries since January 2023 to various employees, sanitation workers in the Education Department of MCD.

The plea seeks the court's direction to the civic body to forthwith release due salaries to all the teachers and Class IV employees and pay future salaries also in time.

The division bench of Justice Satish Chander Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad, dealing with a bunch of pleas filed in 2020, showed displeasure over the delay in giving salaries.

The court asked the MCD counsel: "When your Commissioner had assured us of timely payment of salaries then why salaries to teachers and class IV employees have not been paid?"

On February 2, MCD had told the High Court that it had paid salaries and pensions to employees and retired staff members till December, and the payment for January would be cleared soon.

The bench issued a notice to the civic body and listed the matter for the next hearing on March 24.

Appearing for MCD teachers, advocate Ashok Agarwal told the court that due salaries have not been paid to close to 20,000 teachers since January 2023.

On January 30, the High Court had summoned the MCD Commissioner, Delhi Finance Secretary, and Urban Development Secretaries over non-payment of salaries.

The same bench had said that despite assuring them of timely payments, the employees are not being paid, which is "unfortunate".

Even retired employees have moved pleas seeking the release of their pensions.

On December 21, last year, the AAP government and the MCD had promised that all dues will be cleared in four weeks.

Noting the above, the bench during the last hearing had directed the officials: "It is also strange that the pensioners are not receiving the pensions and they are hand to mouth. This court is left with no choice but to direct the personal appearance of the Commissioner of MCD, Finance Secretary and Secretary of Urban Development of the GNCTD."