Kochi: The High Court on Thursday directed the state government not to publish the names of the government staff unwilling to take part in the ‘Salary Challenge’ to contribute one month’s salary to the Chief Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund. A division bench of the court also suggested action against the persons responsible for publishing the names of the non-participants and observed that it was not right to collect the salary for CMDRF by coercive means.
The court adjourned the case for further hearing on Tuesday. The directive was given on a petition filed by the NGO Sangh stating that the government was punishing the staff who were declining to join the scheme.
Referring to the order of the chief secretary that nobody will be compelled to part with one month’s salary, the court sought the purpose of preparing the list of the people not taking part in the challenge. The court said preparing such a list amounts to forcing the reluctant to join the campaign. The advocate- general stated that collecting the details of the staff is an internal process of the departments which is a confidential matter.
The court, however, observed that it has some motive, without which, it doesn’t make sense. Kerala has confronted the floods unitedly and the decision of the government to approach the employees will only help in disrupting such unity, the court said. The contribution of salary to the CMDRF should be a voluntary effort, the court said and added that coercion will not be allowed in the matter. It also asked the government to give the details of the action taken against the officials who collected the details of the unwilling staff.
