Authorities must decide pending representations by a speaking order and release arrears if otherwise admissible.

The applicants, employees of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, sought release of salary arrears and consequential monetary and service benefits allegedly arising from their regularisation, pay fixation and related service orders, including 7th CPC differences, bonus and MACP benefits.

They also sought interest on delayed payments and directions for consideration of their representations.

The applicants had submitted several representations, including a latest representation dated 5 August 2026, annexed collectively as Annexure A-3.

An application seeking permission to file the Original Application jointly was allowed, there being no objection from the respondents.

At the hearing, the applicants’ counsel confined the prayer to a direction requiring the respondents to decide the pending representations through a reasoned and speaking order.

Whether the applicants were entitled to a direction requiring the Municipal Corporation of Delhi to consider and decide their pending representations, including the representation dated 5 August 2026, by a reasoned and speaking order.

Whether the respondents should release the arrears claimed by the applicants if the applicants were otherwise eligible for such payment.

The Tribunal applied the administrative-law requirement that representations concerning service and monetary claims must be considered and decided by the competent authority through a reasoned and speaking order.

It also applied the principle that service arrears and consequential benefits may be released administratively where the employee is otherwise eligible, without the Tribunal adjudicating the underlying merits at the admission stage.

No specific statutory provision or judicial precedent was cited in the order.

Since the applicants had submitted pending representations concerning their alleged entitlement to arrears and consequential benefits, and their counsel limited the relief sought to consideration of those representations, the Tribunal found it appropriate to direct administrative decision-making rather than examine the merits of the claims itself.

The respondents were therefore directed to consider the representations, including the latest representation dated 5 August 2026, and pass a reasoned and speaking order preferably within six weeks from receipt of the certified copy of the order.

The Tribunal additionally directed release of arrears if the applicants were otherwise eligible, while expressly refraining from making any finding on the merits of their claims.

The Original Application was disposed of at the admission stage with directions to the respondents to consider and decide the applicants’ pending representations, including the representation dated 5 August 2026, by a reasoned and speaking order as expeditiously as possible and preferably within six weeks of receiving the certified order.

The respondents were further directed to release the arrears to the applicants if they were otherwise eligible.

The Tribunal clarified that it had not examined or expressed any opinion on the merits of the applicants’ claims.

There was no order as to costs.