JCM Staff Side Demands Relief from Recovery of Excess Payments to Central Government Employees
JCM Staff Side Raises Concern Over Recovery of Wrongful/Excess Payments to Central Government Employees
The Staff Side of the National Council – Joint Consultative Machinery (JCM) has taken up the issue of recovery of wrongful or excess payments made to Central Government employees during a meeting held in the Ministry of Finance under the chairmanship of the Secretary, Department of Expenditure.
Download JCM Seeks Waiver of Excess Payment Recovery in PDF
The meeting, held on 2 July 2026, discussed the difficulties being faced by serving, retiring and retired Central Government employees due to recovery proceedings initiated in cases of excess or wrongful payments. The discussion was held in the context of the Supreme Court judgment, the DoPT Office Memorandum dated 02.03.2016, and the Department of Expenditure instructions dated 01.04.2024.
Key Demands Raised by the JCM Staff Side
The Staff Side submitted a detailed note to the Secretary (Expenditure) and urged the Government to implement the following measures:
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Strict implementation of the DoPT OM dated 02.03.2016 by all Ministries, Departments and subordinate offices. It was also suggested that non-compliance should invite appropriate action.
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Delegation of powers for waiver of recovery up to ₹5 lakh to the Head of the Department in cases covered under the five categories specified in the DoPT OM, so that unnecessary delays can be avoided.
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Delegation of powers for waiver of recovery between ₹5 lakh and ₹10 lakh to the concerned Ministry or Department.
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Cases involving recovery exceeding ₹10 lakh may continue to be referred to the Department of Expenditure for decision.
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Whenever an excess payment is identified and falls within the categories protected under the DoPT OM dated 02.03.2016, the concerned employee should be informed immediately, and the waiver process should be initiated without delay.
Objective of the Meeting
The Staff Side emphasized that many employees are facing hardship due to recoveries despite the legal protections available under the Supreme Court judgment and Government instructions. The proposed measures aim to ensure timely relief, uniform implementation of existing guidelines, and avoid unnecessary litigation and financial distress for employees.
The matter is expected to receive further consideration by the Government based on the recommendations submitted during the meeting.