CHANDIGARH, October 26, 2026: Government employees across Punjab staged a two-day mass casual leave protest on October 21 and 22, disrupting administrative work in several districts as employee and pensioner organisations pressed the state government to resolve their long-pending service and financial demands.
The agitation, organised under the banners of the Punjab Employees and Pensioners Joint Front and the Joint Employees Platform Punjab, saw demonstrations outside district administrative complexes, Deputy Commissioner offices, tehsil offices and other government establishments. According to media reports, nearly three lakh employees participated in the mass leave programme, affecting routine public-facing services.
Employees Demand DA Arrears, Pension Reforms
The protesters have called for the release of pending Dearness Allowance (DA) instalments and arrears, restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), regularisation of contractual and outsourced employees, and resolution of long-standing pay and pension-related issues.
Other demands include the restoration of 37 discontinued allowances, revision of pension benefits, implementation of assured career progression benefits, and restoration of the cashless health scheme. Employee organisations have also raised concerns over probation-related salary rules and notifications concerning central pay scales.
Union representatives alleged that repeated discussions with the state government had failed to produce concrete decisions on several key demands. They warned that the agitation could intensify if their concerns remained unresolved.
Talks Fail to Resolve Dispute
Negotiations between employee representatives and senior government officials remained inconclusive during the protest. A meeting with Chief Secretary K.A.P. Sinha reportedly continued for nearly two hours but did not result in an agreement on the principal demands.
A delegation representing employees and pensioners subsequently held discussions with officials, but union representatives said they had not received clear assurances on several outstanding issues.
The dispute follows an earlier meeting between Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and employee and pensioner representatives on September 18. The chief minister had announced an 8 per cent increase in DA, to be implemented in two instalments of 4 per cent each, effective from October 1, according to reports. However, employee organisations continue to press for pending arrears and the resolution of other service-related grievances.
Roadways Strike Called Off After Government Assurance
The protest by government employees coincided with industrial action by outsourced workers associated with Punjab Roadways, PUNBUS and the Punjab Road Transport Corporation (PRTC), which affected bus services across the state.
In a separate development, the transport workers called off their four-day strike on October 24 after reaching an agreement with the state government. Under the agreement, appointment letters for outsourced workers were to be issued on October 26 and 27, addressing one of the key demands behind their agitation.
However, other issues, including regularisation, equal pay for equal work and pending service-related benefits, remain under discussion. A further meeting was scheduled for October 29 to review the outstanding demands.
Public Services and Next Steps
The protests have highlighted the continuing differences between employee organisations and the state government over pay, pensions, employment security and service conditions. While the mass casual leave programme affected administrative functioning in several districts, the extent of disruption varied by location.
Employee unions have indicated that their future course of action will depend on progress in negotiations and the government’s response to their demands.
With several financial and service-related issues still unresolved, further discussions between the government and employee representatives will be important in determining whether the dispute can be settled through dialogue or whether fresh protests will follow.