Photo Courtesy: nenow
Agartala: The Tripura High Court ordered a salary freeze for top TTAADC officials. Justice T Amarnath Goud issued the directive on September 9. He ruled that the Chief Executive Officer and other officers must go without pay until the council clears pending retiral dues for former staff. The order excludes Group C and Group D employees.
The dispute centers on Rasan Debbarma Reang, a former employee who filed a writ petition against the council and five other respondents. Reang retired on January 31, 2025. Council records show he is owed Rs 16,33,750, sanctioned back on July 15, 2025. Two other petitions show similar outstanding payments ranging from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 31.68 lakh.
During the September 8 hearing, the TTAADC argued the state Finance Secretary must join the proceedings to release the cash. The Advocate General shot that down. He informed the court the council holds its own funds and does not need state permission for these payments. The court ordered the CEO, Finance Secretary, and District Treasury Officers to resolve the matter before the next hearing on October 5.
The ruling sparked immediate political fallout. CPIM state secretary Jitendra Choudhury weighed in on the fallout from the bench. He described the move as an "unusual instance of judicial intervention over the payment of retiral benefits."
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