In August, the High Court had directed the Punjab government to release up-to-date pending installments of DA/DR to all its employees and pensioners by August 31.
The Court had also ordered Punjab not to resort to any unproductive expenditures such as large-scale advertising campaigns in print or social media, till these dues are cleared.
In an August 20 post on X, Das claimed that the ACJ Mishra had withdrawn the “politically sensitive case” from another bench “that had a reputation of being” independent” in violation of the roster.
He also wrote that the Court had “passed an order on 3 August against the Government of Punjab, political adversary of the BJP, creating a financial liability of Rs 20,000 crores.”
He even reduced the time period to pay the amount from 30 days to 15 days, which in all terms is a practical impossibility, Das wrote, adding that Punjab’s debt related issue was being raked up before the upcoming State assembly election.
Das had linked the judgment to Justice Mishra’s elevation as the Chief Justice.
“Days later, on 6 August, the ACJ gets promoted as the Chief Justice of the same High Court. Is this a coincidence? If you remember, I had reported how the previous Chief Justice too had violated the roster to withdraw and list politically sensitive cases related to AAP-to-BJP defector MPs. That Chief Justice was elevated to the Supreme Court recently. Why are roster violations and misuse of master of roster powers being accepted? Several such instances in opposition ruled states. We must guard our institutions from being weaponised to meet political ends,” Das had written.