Policemen fighting COVID-19 need rewards, not salary cuts, says PIL challenging Maharashtra govt

A PIL is questioning the logic of withholding a part of policemen’s salary when they are risking their lives fighting coronavirus

Maharashtra government’s decision to defer the payment of salaries of state police personnel falling under class I, II and III of state employees, has been challenged in the Bombay High Court by a group of lawyers.

Policemen are among the corona warriors risking their lives for the containment of the pandemic. (HT Photo/Sant Arora/Representative use)

The lawyers have filed a public interest litigation stating that the salaries of police officers, in the front line of battle against Covid-19 pandemic, should not be deferred and they should instead be rewarded with additional risk and hardship allowance for their services. The petition also says that the cops should be provided with Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) like doctors and medical staff involved in Covid-19 duty.

The PIL filed by advocates Tosif Shaikh, Kranti Sahane, Swapnil Girme, Satish Gaikwad, Kedar Milwala, Ganesh Gupta, Brajesh Kumar and Suraj Jadhav, challenges state government’s April 1 resolution, which proposes the deferment of 50 per cent salary for class I and II state government officers and 25 per cent salary for class III officers.

The PIL states that many countries have implemented the payment of risk and hardship allowance to COVID warriors but the same is yet to be adopted in India.

Shaikh said the policemen are risking their lives and working round the clock, just like the doctors and medical staff, and since they are the sole breadwinners in their families, deferred payment of salary will adversely impact them. Hence, the PIL argues, the ‘GR is arbitrary’ and should be set aside.

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The PIL also seeks directions to the government to provide PPE kits, masks, gloves and sanitisers to police personnel as it will ensure their safety and also boost their morale.

The PIL is expected to be mentioned on Thursday before the bench of justice S J Kathawalla. Maharashtra, along with several other states, had announced the deferment of salary for government staff citing a strain on government resources due to coronavirus containment efforts and drying up of revenue streams.

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