With reference to the Supreme Court's 2026 judgment on Dearness Allowance (DA), which of the following statements is/are correct?
1. The Supreme Court ruled that receiving Dearness Allowance is an absolute Fundamental Right under Article 21 of the Constitution.
2. The Court held that a State government cannot cite financial constraints to indefinitely withhold DA once it becomes payable under governing rules.

Question

Accepted Answer

B) 2 only — Statement 1 is incorrect because the Supreme Court specifically left the question of DA being a Fundamental Right under Article 21 open, classifying it instead as an enforceable statutory right. Statement 2 is correct; the Court explicitly rejected the 'paucity of funds' defense used by the State.

Dearness Allowance Declared Enforceable Statutory Right

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