After HC setback, Kerala brings ordinance to deduct employees’ salary

The move came a day after the high court stayed Kerala’s decision to deduct the salary of government employees for six days every month for the next five months (totalling 30 days) as part of efforts to raise funds for fighting Covid-19.

A day after the high court stayed its decision to cut employees’ salaries, the Kerala government on Wednesday decided to bring an ordinance in order to make the deductions at a time it is fighting the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.

A man wearing a mask reads a newspaper at a bus terminus which has been shut down for more than a month as part of measures to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in Kochi, Kerala. (AP)

Announcing this, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said extraordinary situations need extraordinary actions. “You can’t call it a salary cut. We have made it clear that the amount collected in five instalments will be repaid once the economic condition of the state improved,” he said.

The move came a day after the high court stayed Kerala’s decision to deduct the salary of government employees for six days every month for the next five months (totalling 30 days) as part of efforts to raise funds for fighting Covid-19.

The government decided to take ordinance route after it got legal advice that an appeal against the HC decision will delay the whole process and some of the critical sectors such as health will suffer.

Now, governor Arif Mohamad Khan will have to give his assent to the ordinance.

“All are undergoing a difficult situation. So it is natural that employees will also be a part of the process. We have deducted 30% salaries of ministers, MLAs, board chairmen and others for one year,” said the CM.

State opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala decried the latest move and said the government was taking revenge on employees after it suffered a serious setback in the court.