Kerala high court quashed a petition that sought to put a stay on the Salary Cut Ordinance that will result in the holding back of up to 25% salary of state government employees
Kochi: The latest ordinance authorising the government to cut up to 25% salary of its employees will stand. The petition filed challenging the legal validity of the same was quashed by the high court today. The single bench ruled in favour of the government and said that the state is legally authorised to pass such an ordinance in dire epidemic situations.
The government also told the court that the salary is not being deducted but held back, which the state will return when it attains financial stability. The court ruled that in such a situation there was no scope of any worry.
The NGO Sangh and SETO which approached the court said that it was denying them their basic rights as govt employees to get paid in full for the work done by them. But the advocate general appearing for the court said that as the amount deducted was returnable in nature and that there was no right being denied. The amount is deducted to fund the crisis management, the AG reiterated.