High Court has sought reply from state govt over salary cuts of govt. employees for Covid-19 funds

The Rajasthan government will have to submit a reply in the Rajasthan High Court on the issue of pay cut of government employees by November 5.

Meanwhile Judge Dinesh Mehta has ordered on a petition by All Rajasthan State Government Employees’ Joint Federation that the amount deducted or to be deducted from the government employees’ salary should be deposited in a separate account.

Advocate Kuldeep Mathur, on behalf of the Employees’ Joint Federation, said that the state government has ordered a deduction from the salaries of government employees, including members of the federation.

The government does not have the right to deduct any part of the salary of employees as there is no such provision in the service rules nor the Pandemic Diseases Act-1897 that empowers it to take such steps.

On Friday, the high court withdrew the order banning pay cuts. A day before, Rajasthan HC had stayed the state government’s decision to deduct one-day salary of government teachers, in a civil writ petition filed by an individual.

Four different cadres under All Rajasthan State Government Employees’ Joint Federation had filed four applications in the high court against the government’s decision to cut the salaries of the employees. The hearing in the five other petitions regarding the same issue will be held on November 3.

In September, the federation had also launched a five-phase stir to protest against the state government’s decision to deduct salaries of the employees as the cabinet had earlier decided to deduct two day’s remuneration of officers belonging to all-India and state services and a day’s salary of other employees from that month. The government had said that this was being done to mobilise resources for Covid-19 relief fund.

Stay updated with all the Latest Jaipur headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.