Chhattisgarh High Court Quashes Illegal Salary Deduction Order for Maintenance

News Citation : 2026 LN (HC) 282 | 2026:CGHC:19576

April 28, 2026 : In a significant ruling for government employees, the High Court of Chhattisgarh at Bilaspur has struck down an administrative order that sought to deduct a portion of a teacher’s salary to pay for his brother’s maintenance. The court found that such a deduction had no legal basis under existing service rules, particularly when no formal application for maintenance had even been filed by the purported beneficiary.

The case, presided over by Justice Rakesh Mohan Pandey, involved Balraj Das, a 60-year-old lecturer serving in the Government Girls Higher Secondary School in Manendragarh. Das had approached the court to challenge orders issued by the District Education Officer (DEO) of Koriya in early 2022. These administrative orders initially directed a monthly deduction of ₹5,000 from his salary later reduced to ₹2,000 to be deposited into the bank account of his brother, Balram Das.

The petitioner’s counsel argued that the DEO’s actions were prompted by an alleged complaint from the brother, despite the fact that the petitioner’s mother had already passed away and the brother was not entitled to such a claim under service law. Crucially, the brother (Respondent No. 4) admitted during the proceedings that he had never actually moved an application before the respondent authorities seeking maintenance.

Justice Pandey noted that the DEO of Koriya had passed the deduction orders in the total absence of any supporting provision within the service rules. The court highlighted the absurdity of the situation where the authorities acted without a formal request and without the legal jurisdiction to arbitrate family maintenance through payroll deductions.

Concluding that the orders were “not sustainable in the eyes of law,” the High Court quashed the salary deduction orders dated February 11 and May 9, 2022. The ruling brings relief to the petitioner, ensuring that his salary remains protected from unauthorized administrative interference.

Case Reference : WPS No. 4007 of 2022, Balraj Das vs. State of Chhattisgarh & Others, represented by Mr. Shashi Kumar Kushwaha for the Petitioner, Mr. Kanwaljeet Singh Saini (Dy. G.A.) for the State, and Mr. C.K. Sahu for Respondent No. 4.