Kerala govt to issue ordinance for salary cut of employees in emergencies

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told media that the cabinet recommended for the ordinance against the backdrop of the court observation that there was no statutory basis for the deferment of salaries (neither in the Epidemic Diseases Act nor in the Disaster Management Act).




A day after Kerala High Court stayed the government order to deduct one-month salary of employees in five instalments, the State Cabinet on Wednesday decided to issue an ordinance allowing it to deduct salaries of its employees to mobilise funds to fight COVID-19 in the state.

The state had earlier decided to deduct one-month salary of employees in the wake of the financial crisis stemming from COVID-19. The order was stayed by the court for two-months, following a bunch of petitions from associations of state employees.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told media that the cabinet recommended for the ordinance against the backdrop of the court observation that there was no statutory basis for the deferment of salaries (neither in the Epidemic Diseases Act nor in the Disaster Management Act).

He also said that the governor would be recommended to issue an ordinance to effect 30 per cent cut in the monthly gross salary of ministers and legislators.

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