New Delhi, Feb 3 (IANS): The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) on Thursday told the Delhi High Court that it had paid salaries and pensions to employees and retired staff members till December, and the payment for January would be cleared soon.

On January 30, the High Court had summoned the MCD Commissioner, Delhi Finance Secretary, and Urban Development Secretaries over non-payment of salaries to various employees, sanitation workers, and teachers of the MCD.

A division bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad, dealing with a bunch of pleas filed in 2020 seeking payment of salaries to various employees of the civic body, said despite assuring them of timely payments, the employees are not being paid, which is "unfortunate".

While noting Thursday's submission, the same bench listed the matter for the next hearing after four weeks.

Even retired employees have moved pleas seeking the release of their pensions.

On December 21, last year, the AAP government and the MCD had promised that all dues will be cleared in four weeks.

Noting the above, the bench during the last hearing had directed the officials: "It is also strange that the pensioners are not receiving the pensions and they are hand to mouth. This court is left with no choice but to direct the personal appearance of the Commissioner of MCD, Finance Secretary and Secretary of Urban Development of the GNCTD."

Appearing for petitioners, advocate Ashok Agarwal had submitted that primary school teachers are not getting salaries and they are facing financial problems.

The MCD was previously divided into North, South, and East Municipal Corporations.