Bihar State Ardh Sarkari Arajpati Karamchari Maha Sangh vs State Of Bihar
- Court
- Supreme Court
2026 INSC 607
REPORTABLE
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
CIVIL ORIGINAL JURISDICTION
WRIT PETITION (C) No.932 OF 2022
BIHAR STATE ARDH SARKARI
ARAJPATI KARAMCHARI MAHA
SANGH AND ORS.
….PETITIONER(S)
VERSUS
STATE OF BIHAR AND ORS.
….RESPONDENT(S)
O R D E R
Mehta, J.
1. Heard in part.
BACKGROUND
2. The present proceedings arise out of a prolonged
and distressing humanitarian as well as legal
controversy concerning the continued non-payment
of salaries, retiral dues and other consequential
emoluments payable to thousands of employees of
Signature Not Verified
Digitally signed by
NEETU KHAJURIA five State-owned Corporations, namely, Bihar State
Date: 2026.05.30
13:37:59 IST
Reason:
1
Construction Corporation Ltd.; Bihar State Industrial
Development Corporation Ltd.; Bihar State Electronic
Development Corporation Ltd.; Bihar State Forest
Development Corporation Ltd.; and Bihar State
Panchayati Raj Financial Corporation Ltd.; following
the bifurcation of the erstwhile State of Bihar under
the provisions of the Bihar Reorganisation Act, 2000.
Upon the creation of the successor State of
Jharkhand, the assets and liabilities of the concerned
Corporations, were required to be apportioned
between the successor States of Bihar and
Jharkhand in accordance with the statutory scheme
contemplated under the Act. However, the process of
bifurcation and settlement of liabilities remained
unresolved for nearly two and a half decades, leaving
the employees/workmen and their families in a state
of acute financial distress and prolonged uncertainty.
3. The material placed before this Court revealed
that the prolonged non-payment of lawful dues
resulted in grave humanitarian consequences
affecting a large section of the workforce and their
dependants. The proceedings disclosed allegations of
severe deprivation, destitution and reported
instances of suicides and starvation deaths amongst
2
the affected employees and their family members
owing to prolonged denial of salaries and retiral
benefits. The dispute, therefore, ceased to remain a
mere matter of financial adjustment between two
successor States and assumed the character of a
significant human rights and constitutional concern
directly implicating the right to livelihood and dignity
guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution of
India.
4. The issue first engaged the attention of this
Court in the proceedings arising out of Kapila
1
Hingorani v. State of Bihar , wherein this Court,
while dealing with the plight of the employees of the
State Corporations between the years 2003 and
2005, emphatically observed that States could not
absolve itself of responsibility in the face of a
humanitarian crisis of such magnitude. During the
course of the said proceedings, this Court directed
the respondent States to deposit an aggregate
amount of Rs. 125 crores as an interim arrangement
for disbursal of dues through a Committee headed by
Justice Uday Sinha (Retd.). However, despite the
1
(2003) 6 SCC 1.
3
aforesaid intervention, the amount so made available
proved insufficient and the payments effected
therefrom could clear salary arrears only up to
February, 1997, leaving the claims for the
subsequent years substantially unresolved.
5. The present phase of litigation commenced with
the institution of Writ Petition (Civil) No. 932 of 2022
by the petitioner-association seeking issuance of an
appropriate writ, order or direction commanding the
States concerned and the Union of India to complete
the process of bifurcation and to ensure release of the
outstanding salaries, retiral dues and other
admissible benefits payable to the employees
concerned. Although the State of Bihar had issued
certain resolutions in the year 2018 contemplating
adjustment and payment of employees of defunct
Corporations, implementation thereof insofar as the
inter-State entities were concerned remained
deferred pending final settlement of the
apportionment of assets and liabilities between the
States of Bihar and Jharkhand. The result was that,
notwithstanding repeated assurances and policy
measures, the employees continued to remain
deprived of their lawful entitlements.
4
6. In an endeavour to resolve the continuing
th
stalemate, this Court, by order dated 9 October,
2023, directed the Union of India and the States of
Bihar and Jharkhand to jointly deliberate and arrive
at a settlement with regard to the division of assets
and liabilities of the concerned Corporations.
Pursuant thereto, an administrative committee
comprising senior officers was constituted and a
report came to be submitted in December, 2023
indicating the extent of liabilities. However,
substantial disagreements continued to persist
between the parties with regard to issues such as the
geographical allocation of employees, apportionment
of liabilities arising out of salary dues and interest
thereon, and the absence or non-availability of
original service records pertaining to several defunct
entities. By the beginning of the year 2025, the
compliance asserted by the States continued to be
seriously disputed by the petitioner-association,
which alleged that only a negligible portion of the
overall liability had actually been discharged.
5
FINDINGS, OBSERVATIONS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE COMMITTEE
7. It was in the aforesaid backdrop, and having
regard to the extraordinary complex factual situation
prevailing in the present case, that this Court
considered it necessary to constitute a Committee
under the Chairmanship of Hon’ble Mr. Justice
Dinesh Maheshwari, Judge (Retd.), Supreme Court of
India, for the purpose of undertaking a
comprehensive enquiry into the entire factual matrix
pertaining to the prolonged non-payment of salaries,
retiral dues, pensionary benefits and other
consequential emoluments payable to the erstwhile
employees of five State Corporations. The Committee
was further entrusted with the responsibility of
examining the underlying administrative, financial
and legal issues giving rise to such non-payment and
to place before this Court appropriate suggestions
and recommendations for an effective, equitable and
time-bound resolution of the grievances of the
affected employees.
8. While constituting the Committee, this Court
carved out the following points of reference for
consideration and enquiry by the Committee:-
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I. Fixation of the proportional liabilities of both
the States i.e., State of Bihar and State of
Jharkhand, towards the salaries and other
emoluments including retiral benefits of the
employees of the erstwhile corporations,
whether dissolved or existing.
II. Identification of the employees/family
members of the deceased employees including
a finding on the service tenure(s) of the
employee(s) concerned and the duration for
which they have been deprived of their lawful
dues.
III. The entitlement of the erstwhile employees to
receive salary and/or retiral benefits as per the
extant statutes or rules.
IV. Any other matter relevant to the controversy.
9. This Court, thereafter, received two interim
reports submitted by the Committee, the first dated
th
6 August, 2025 and the second, which was taken
th
on record and perused by this Court on 25
November, 2025. Upon a consideration of the said
interim reports, this Court observed that substantial
compliance had been achieved in respect of the
issues forming part of the reference entrusted to the
7
Committee and that significant progress had been
made towards redressal of the grievances of the
affected employees.
10. However, bearing in mind that certain residual
and ancillary issues still required deliberation and
resolution, and with a view to ensuring that the entire
exercise achieved a comprehensive, effective and
equitable solution, this Court extended the tenure of
the Committee.
11. The Committee has now submitted an
th
exhaustive final report dated 30 April, 2026. The
said report has been placed before this Court and was
perused minutely. The final report encapsulates the
proceedings undertaken by the Committee, the
measures adopted towards resolution of the
outstanding issues, the extent of compliance
achieved by the concerned authorities, and the
recommendations considered necessary for ensuring
a complete and effective settlement of the claims
relating to unpaid salaries, retiral dues, pensionary
benefits and other consequential emoluments
payable to the erstwhile employees of the five State
Corporations.
8
12. The Committee, in discharge of the mandate
entrusted to it by this Court, undertook an extensive
exercise spanning 25 meetings in all, commencing
th
with its first sitting held on 7 April, 2025 and
st
culminating in its final meeting convened on 31
January, 2026. During the course of the said
proceedings, the Committee took into consideration
oral as well as written submissions advanced on
behalf of the respective parties, examined the status
reports and progress reports periodically filed by the
concerned State authorities and other stakeholders,
and issued such directions, advisories and
procedural orders from time to time as were
considered necessary in the facts and circumstances
of the case for effectuating compliance and
facilitating resolution of the outstanding issues.
I. FIXATION OF THE PROPORTIONAL
LIABILITIES OF BOTH THE STATES TOWARDS
THE SALARIES AND OTHER EMOLUMENTS
13. The Committee recorded that the first issue
pertaining to the fixation and apportionment of the
proportional liabilities of the respective States
towards payment of salaries, retiral dues and other
consequential emoluments payable to the employees
9
of the erstwhile State Corporations, whether
dissolved or continuing in existence, substantially
stands resolved. In this regard, the Committee has
nd
taken note of the Affidavit dated 22 December, 2023
filed on behalf of the Union of India and observed that
the said affidavit delineates, in a tabulated form, the
total financial liability apportioned to the respective
States in relation to the five erstwhile Corporations
concerned. The relevant paragraphs of the Report are
extracted hereinbelow for ready reference:-
“8. The grievances of the employees having remained
unredressed, the petitioners, being the associations and
some of the employees, preferred the present writ
petition [WP (C) No. 932/2022] wherein, the Hon'ble
Supreme Court has constituted this Committee. This
petition has been filed by the Union/Association(s)
representing the employees (petitioner Nos. 1 to 9) and
other individuals (petitioner Nos. 10 to 17) against the
State of Bihar (respondent No. 2) and its various
departments through their Principal Secretaries
(respondent Nos. 4 and 16 to 20); the State of
Jharkhand (respondent No. 3); the five PSUs with their
subsidiaries (respondent Nos. 5 to 15); and Government
of India through the Ministry of Home Affairs
(respondent No. 21).
8.1. While dealing with this writ petition on 09.10.2023,
the Hon'ble Supreme Court observed that considering
the nature of issue involved, the appropriate course
would be to make Union of India, State of Jharkhand
and State of Bihar to sit together and sort out the issues
with regard to payment of salaries to employees of
various corporations as also the division of assets and
liabilities of these PSUs, located in the two states. For
this purpose, the Hon'ble Court constituted a
Committee comprising senior officers from the Union of
10
India (UOI), State of Bihar and State of Jharkhand, and
expected their report within three weeks.
8.2. Thereafter, an affidavit dated 22.12.2023 was
filed on behalf of UOI placing on record the minutes
of meetings of the Committee and its report stating
the total liability of the respective states in a
tabulated form in relation to the five PSUs, while
also indicating that the share between the two
states in relation to the Bihar State Construction
Corporation Limited shall be decided on the basis of
location of the employees. It was also stated that the
necessary details of compensation to the families of 316
employees who had passed away were to be provided by
both the State Governments. However, it did not specify
the number of employees component of dues, or the
period for computation of liabilities.”
II. IDENTIFICATION OF THE
EMPLOYEES/FAMILY MEMBERS OF THE
DECEASED EMPLOYEES
14. Insofar as the second issue relating to the
identification and verification of the concerned
employees, including the legal heirs of deceased
employees, as well as the determination of their
respective tenure of service and the period during
which they remained deprived of their lawful salaries,
retiral dues and other admissible emoluments is
concerned, the Committee has recorded that the said
issue substantially stands resolved.
15. The Final Report furnishes a comprehensive
corporation-wise data depicting the status of
identification, verification and disbursal of dues in
11
respect of the employees concerned, which, in the
considered view of the Committee, demonstrates the
substantial progress achieved during the course of
the enquiry proceedings. For a proper appreciation of
the extent of compliance achieved and the status of
settlement arrived at during the course of the
proceedings before the Committee, the tabulated data
contained in the Final Report is reproduced
hereinbelow for ready reference:-
Respondent Corporations Payment
Remarks for
Status
unpaid
1. Bihar State
Total
208-
Construction Corporation
employees –
untraceable
Ltd. (BSCCL) (R.5); Water
1256
10- documents
Resource Department
Total Paid –
awaited for
(R.16)
1038
verification and
payment
2. Bihar State Industrial Development Corporation Ltd.
(BSIDC) (R. 6); Bihar Spun Milk Mill (R, 7); Scooter
Project Fatuha (R. 8); Industry Department (R. 17)
Bihar Spun Silk Mill Total
06 -
employees –
untraceable
351
04 -
Total Paid –
documents
341
awaited for
12
verification
and payment
Bihar Scooters Ltd.,
Total
01 -
Fatuha
employees –
untraceable
65
02 -
Total Paid –
documents
62
awaited for
verification
and payment
Other units of
Total
25 – No Salary
Corporation (Jharkhand)
employees –
dues found
163
02 -
Total Paid –
documents
161
awaited for
(136 paid +
verification
no liability
and payment
found for 25)
3. Bihar State Electronics Development Corporation
(BSEDC) (R. 9); IT Department (R.18); Beltron Video
System Ltd. (BVSL) (R. 10); Beltron Mining System Ltd.
(BMSL) (R. 11)
BVSL Hajipur Total
02 – payment
employees –
in process
70
03 – documents
Total Paid – 65
awaited for
(as of
verification and
24.12.2025)
payment
13
BVSL Ranchi Total
01 -
employees –
untraceable
25
02 - documents
Total Paid – 23
awaited for
(as of
verification and
24.12.2025)
payment
BMSL Dhanbad Total
01 -
employees –
untraceable
38
Total Paid – 27
(as of
24.12.2025)
4. Bihar State Forest
Total
01-
Development Corporation
employees –
untraceable
(BSFDC) (R.12);
203
01 - documents
Environment and Forest
Total Paid –
awaited for
Department (R.19); Bihar
201
verification and
Solvent and Chemical
payment
Ltd. (R.13); Bihar State
Tannin Extract Ltd. (R.
14)
5. Bihar Panchayati Raj
Total
13 -
Financial Corporation
employees –
untraceable
Ltd. (BPRFC) (R. 15);
103
01 - documents
Panchayati Raj
Total Paid – 89
awaited for
Department (R. 20)
(as of
verification and
24.12.2025)
payment
14
Total Paid – 2,017
Untraceable employees – 231
Documents awaited for verification and payment – 24
Payment in process - 02
16. As reflected from the tabulated data, out of a
total of 2,274 verified employees/workmen, lawful
dues and consequential emoluments admissible in
accordance with their respective entitlements have
already been disbursed to as many as 2,017
employees/workmen, whereas the process of
document verification and consequential
determination of entitlement is still underway in
respect of 24 employees/workmen.
17. In relation to the remaining fraction of 231
employees who presently continue to be categorized
as “untraceable”, the Committee has specifically
recorded that repeated and exhaustive efforts, to the
extent reasonably feasible, were undertaken by the
concerned administrative authorities for tracing and
verification of the said individuals and/or their legal
heirs. The Committee has noted that such efforts
included issuance of public notices through
newspaper publications, local-level enquiries and
15
field verifications conducted through the
departmental machinery and district-level
authorities.
18. Upon consideration of the material placed
before it, the Committee has concluded that the
aforesaid residual cases do not involve any
substantive dispute concerning either the identity of
the employees or the existence of their legal
entitlement to receive the admissible dues and
emoluments. According to the Committee, the
pendency of such cases is attributable solely to the
inability of the authorities to secure the presence of
the concerned individuals or their legal heirs for
completion of the requisite formalities and
verification procedures.
19. The Committee has accordingly observed that
any further resolution in respect of the said residual
cases would depend upon the concerned claimants or
their legal representatives coming forward and
producing the requisite documents before the
designated departmental nodal officers for
verification and processing of their claims. In view of
the aforesaid position, the Committee has opined that
no further adjudicatory determination or issuance of
16
any continuing writ of mandamus on this aspect is
presently warranted by this Court.
III. THE ENTITLEMENT OF THE ERSTWHILE
EMPLOYEES TO RECEIVE SALARY AND/OR
RETIRAL BENEFITS
20. The Committee has reported that the third
issue, namely, the entitlement of the erstwhile
employees/workmen to receive salaries/wages and
retiral benefits in terms of the extant statutory
framework, applicable rules and governing service
conditions, still remains unresolved owing to the
conflicting and divergent stands adopted by the
respective parties. The Committee has observed that
the aforesaid issue constitutes the principal surviving
controversy arising out of the reference made by this
Court and has accordingly identified the following five
sub-issues as forming the core components of the
residual dispute requiring consideration and
determination by this Court:-
i. Issue 3A: The applicable pay structure for each
corporation, specifically regarding Pay Revision
Commissions (PRCs), annual increments,
gratuity, and leave encashment.
17
ii. Issue 3B: The applicable wage rates for daily-
wage employees and resolving any
discrepancies.
iii. Issue 3C: Determination of dues regarding the
Employees Provident Fund (EPF) and the
methodology for satisfying those entitlements.
iv. Issue 3D: Entitlement of the families of
deceased employees to compensation or other
support.
v. Issue 3E: The payment of interest on delayed
dues
21. The Committee has undertaken an elaborate
and comprehensive examination of the aforesaid five
sub-issues and has rendered its considered findings,
opinion and recommendations thereon for the
consideration of this Court in the final adjudication
of the disputes arising in the present proceedings.
i. Issue 3A: Applicable Pay Revision
Commission
22. The Committee has opined that the petitioners’
claim seeking extension of benefits arising from
subsequent Pay Revision Commissions is not legally
sustainable. The Committee has observed that prior
18
to the Corporations becoming defunct, the respective
Boards had consciously adopted only the
th
recommendations of the 4 Pay Revision Commission
and, in the case of Bihar State Forest Development
th
Corporation, the 5 Pay Revision Commission. It has
been noted that no resolution, decision or statutory
adoption of any subsequent Pay Revision
Commission was ever undertaken by the competent
authorities prior to cessation of the corporations’
functioning.
23. The Committee has, therefore, concluded that
in the absence of a subsisting employer-employee
framework and in the absence of any statutory or
contractual mandate extending such revisions, no
enforceable legal right can accrue in favour of the
employees for grant of benefits under subsequent Pay
Revision Commissions.
ii. Issue 3B: Applicable Wage Rates for Daily-
Wage Employees
24. With regard to the claim of daily-wage
employees for payment at revised minimum wage
rates during the period in which no work was actually
rendered, the Committee has found the said claim to
19
be untenable both on legal principles and on the
factual matrix of the present case.
25. The Committee has observed that the doctrine
underlying payment of wages necessarily
presupposes rendering of service and that, in the
peculiar circumstances prevailing after closure and
virtual non-functioning of the Corporations, the
States nevertheless extended notional continuity by
providing the minimum wage rates prevailing in the
year 1992 i.e., Rs. 42.50 per day, till the respective
dates of retirement or cessation of service of the
concerned workmen. The Committee has regarded
the said measure as a reasonable, equitable and
humanitarian arrangement intended to mitigate
hardship, and has opined that no further
enhancement by application of subsequently revised
minimum wage rates can be claimed as a matter of
vested legal entitlement.
26. Nonetheless, the Committee has observed that
appropriate directions are required to be issued to the
respective States to ensure that the computation and
determination of dues payable to each daily-wage
employee are undertaken strictly in accordance with
the applicable wage rates and governing norms. The
20
Committee has further emphasized that the
concerned authorities must ensure complete and
accurate disbursal of all admissible amounts to every
eligible daily-wage employee, or, where applicable, to
their legal heirs, without any discrepancy, deficiency
or computational error, so as to secure full and
effective compliance with the entitlement determined
in their favour.
iii. Issue 3C: Determination of dues regarding
the Employees Provident Fund
27. The Committee has emphatically observed that
provident fund accumulations constitute a vested
statutory right of the employees and partake the
character of protected retiral benefits incapable of
being defeated by administrative lapses, financial
incapacity or procedural impediments. Thus, the
Committee has noted that the obligation to ensure
disbursal of provident fund dues survives
notwithstanding the dissolution or functional
collapse of the Corporations concerned.
28. Accordingly, the Committee has recommended
formulation of a structured and time-bound
mechanism whereby, in cases where reconciliation,
tracing or reactivation of Employees Provident Fund
21
accounts is no longer feasible, the concerned States
shall directly disburse to the beneficiaries both the
employer’s and employee’s contributions together
with the accrued statutory interest, so as to secure
complete restitution of the employees’ lawful
entitlements.
29. The Committee has recommended a structured
mechanism for resolution of the captioned issue in
the following terms:-
i. For the Corporations where employer and
employee contributions have already been paid
directly to employee or heirs, the settlement
should be treated as final, though subject to
any outstanding dues or discrepancies and
payment of interest.
ii. For the Corporations where the EPF amount is
yet to be paid, the State shall pay the sum of
employer contribution, employee contribution,
and interest under Section 7Q of the
Employees’ Provident Fund and Miscellaneous
Provisions Act, 1952 directly to the employees
or their heirs.
iv. Issue 3D: Entitlement to Compensation
22
30. As regards the claim relating to compensation
payable to the legal heirs of employees/workmen who
expired during the prolonged period of deprivation
and financial distress, the Committee has observed
that no specific statutory provision or service rule
presently exists providing for an independent
compensatory framework of such nature.
31. At the same time, the Committee has taken note
of the grave humanitarian consequences resulting
from prolonged denial of salaries and retiral dues and
the severe hardship suffered by several families on
account thereof.
32. In view of the extraordinary facts and
circumstances of the case, the Committee has
suggested that this Court, in exercise of its equitable
and constitutional jurisdiction, may consider grant of
an appropriate quantified compensation to the legal
heirs of those employees whose deaths are
demonstrably attributable to the extreme deprivation
and destitution occasioned by non-payment of
legitimate dues.
v. Issue 3E: Payment of interest on delayed
dues
23
33. Lastly, with respect to claim concerning
payment of interest on delayed disbursal of salary
arrears and provident fund dues, the Committee has
observed that prolonged withholding of lawful
emoluments and retiral benefits has resulted in
continuing financial prejudice to the affected
employees and their families.
34. The Committee has accordingly recommended
that interest at the rate of 7.5% per annum be
awarded on delayed payment of salary arrears and
interest at the rate of 12% per annum on delayed
provident fund dues, the latter being in consonance
with the statutory and compensatory character of
provident fund entitlements.
35. The Committee has opined that award of such
interest would constitute a measure of restitution
and fair recompense for the inordinate delay and
deprivation suffered by the employees over an
extended period of time. The report shall form an
integral part of this order.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION
36. We have carefully perused the Final Report
submitted by the Committee and have duly
considered the findings, observations,
24
recommendations and suggestions contained
therein. Upon an overall consideration of the report,
we find ourselves in agreement with a substantial
part of the recommendations and proposals made by
the Committee, particularly those which facilitate
effective resolution of the outstanding claims and
ensure equitable disbursal of the lawful dues payable
to the affected employees/workmen and their legal
heirs.
37. The issues in respect whereof we find ourselves
in agreement with the findings, recommendations
and suggestions made by the Committee, together
with the consequential directions required to be
issued for effective implementation thereof, are
enumerated hereunder:-
i. The apportionment and fixation of the inter se
liability of the respective States towards
payment of salaries, retiral dues and other
consequential emoluments payable to the
employees of the erstwhile corporations shall
stand resolved in terms of the allocation and
computation determined by the Committee in
paragraph No. 8.2 of the Final Report, namely,
nd
on the basis of the Affidavit dated 22
25
December, 2023 furnished on behalf of the
Union of India, which shall govern the
2
respective liabilities of both the States. The
concerned States shall remain bound to
discharge their respective liabilities
accordingly, if already not discharged.
ii. The determination of the applicable Pay
Revision Commission shall stand confined to
the Pay Revision Commission(s) duly adopted
by the concerned Corporations prior to their
becoming defunct, and consequently, no
entitlement shall accrue in favour of the
employees towards benefits arising from any
subsequent Pay Revision Commissions which
were never formally adopted by the competent
3
authorities of the respective Corporations.
iii. The determination, computation and
disbursal of dues payable towards Employees’
Provident Fund contributions and allied
statutory benefits shall be undertaken in
accordance with the structured mechanism
recommended by the Committee and noted
2
Supra, para No. 13.
3
Supra, para Nos. 22-23.
26
4
hereinabove , and the concerned authorities
shall ensure expeditious and effective
disbursal of the admissible amounts to the
eligible employees and/or their legal heirs in
accordance therewith.
38. Notwithstanding the substantial resolution of
the disputes in terms of the findings and
recommendations accepted hereinabove, following
residual issues still survive which, in our considered
view, require independent judicial consideration and
adjudication by this Court having regard to the
nature of the claims involved and the legal
consequences flowing therefrom:-
i. The identification and verification of the
remaining employees/workmen and/or the
legal heirs of deceased employees/workmen in
cases where claims are yet to attain finality;
ii. The entitlement of the daily-wage workmen, as
also the legal heirs of deceased
employees/workmen, to lump-sum
compensation and/or any other form of
monetary, rehabilitative or welfare support
4
Supra, para Nos. 28-29.
27
including payment of due wages and other
consequential admissible benefits; and
iii. The entitlement to, and determination of,
appropriate interest on delayed payment of
salaries/wages, retiral dues, provident fund
amounts and other consequential
emoluments.
39. We deem it appropriate to place on record our
sincere appreciation to the Committee headed by
Hon’ble Mr. Justice Dinesh Maheshwari, Judge
(Retd.), Supreme Court of India as well as the other
members of the Committee, and the learned counsel
representing the parties and so also the concerned
officials and the State Governments, whose
cooperation and coordinated efforts have
substantially facilitated the equitable resolution of
this long-pending complex dispute.
40. Further, we direct that an additional
honorarium of Rs. 35,00,000/- (Thirty-Five Lakhs
only) shall be paid to Hon’ble Mr. Justice Dinesh
Maheshwari, Judge (Retd.), Supreme Court of India.
The said amount shall be borne equally by the States
of Bihar and Jharkhand and disbursed within a
period of four weeks from today.
28
41. Accordingly, in view of the aforesaid surviving
issues requiring judicial consideration and
determination, we direct that the matter be listed in
the part-heard category for further hearing and
adjudication of the issues enumerated hereinabove.
In the intervening period, the parties shall place on
record their written submissions as may be
considered necessary for effective adjudication of the
said issues. The States of Bihar and Jharkhand shall
file their respective compliance affidavits placing on
record the steps taken towards implementation of the
directions issued hereinabove and the extent of
compliance effected pursuant thereto.
st
42. List again on 1 September, 2026 as a part
heard case.
….……………………J.
(VIKRAM NATH)
...…………………….J.
(SANDEEP MEHTA)
NEW DELHI;
th
DATE 29 MAY 2026
29