Unions move court against govt’s salary ‘cut’ ordinance

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Kochi:  05.05.2020

The Kerala Disaster and Public Health Emergency (Special Provisions) Ordinance 2020, brought in by the state government to defer salaries of its employees have been challenged before the high court by various employee unions, including one representing government nurses.

The ordnance was issued on April 30 after the high court had on April 28 issued a stay on the government’s order of April 23 to defer payment of six days’ salary for five months. It gave the government the power to defer payment of salaries in the event of disaster and public health emergency.

The petitioners have alleged that the ordinance allows the government to defer their pay in part or in full and it is vitiated with mala fides and is aimed at circumventing the HC order.

They also argued that the deferment of salary can only be done through an amendment of the Kerala Service Rules.

The period of deferment is not specified and the decision was taken without their consent and without giving them an opportunity to raise their objections. The ordinance amounts to oppression and dictation and such a power cannot be exercised by the government, particularly against the employees, the petitions said.

Meanwhile the government nurses contended that the ordinance is “clearly thanklessness” to the health workers who are the frontline soldiers in the fight against Covid-19.