Kerala HC Refuses to Stay New Salary Deferment Ordinance

KOCHI:
The Kerala High Court on Tuesday failed to give a stay on the new ordinance of the Kerala government which allows it to deduct six days salary of all state government employees for the next five months to tide over the Covid-19 crisis, as it was cash stressed.

State Finance Minister Thomas Issac welcomed the court”s decision and said those who went to the court failed to see the rationale behind our decision and it was meant to create fissures in the society. Five different state government employees organisations had approached the court seeking a stay on the ordinance.

The court accepted the petitions but refused stay the ordinance and posted the hearing for next month. The court pointed out that the state government has the right to bring out an ordinance and said that this is only a salary deferment and will be reimbursed.

It was on April 30 that Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan signed the new ordinance, ”Disaster and Public Emergency Special Provisions Act”.
The Pinarayi Vijayan government had last month decided to deduct six days salary of all its employees for the next five months to tide over the financial crisis caused by Covid-19.

But pro-opposition staff unions approached the Kerala High Court, which stayed it and this forced the Vijayan government to bring the new ordinance.