Eye on polls: Kerala HC stays Vijayan Govt’s staff regularisation drive

Kochi, Feb 20 (IANS) In a significant setback to the state government, the Kerala High Court on Friday stayed the move to regularise employees who have been working for over a decade on daily wage and contract basis in government-controlled Public Sector Undertakings, autonomous bodies and the Kerala Kalamandalam. With Assembly elections round the corner, this stay has come as a shocker for the Vijayan government.

Following the mauling the ruling Left suffered at the local body polls held in December last year, the image of the state government had nosedived and CM Vijayan is doing his best to ensure things return to normalcy.

On February 17, the High Court dealt another blow when it stayed an ongoing survey meant to gauge the mood of the people.

The Court ordered that no temporary appointee shall be regularised after September 2025.

The court was hearing a petition alleging that the government’s fresh attempt to grant permanent status to temporary employees violated an earlier court directive.

In 2021, before the first Pinarayi Vijayan government demitted office, large-scale regularisation of temporary staff had been challenged.

The High Court had then ruled that only those appointed against sanctioned posts could be regularised and that no further regularisations should take place.

The present petition contended that the new move amounted to contempt of court.

Two weeks ago, the court had directed the Chief Secretary to file an affidavit in the matter.

The regularisation proposal covered appointments in gram panchayats, municipalities, cultural institutions, panchayat libraries, bal mandirs and nursery schools.

Those engaged on honorarium or daily wage basis including librarians, nursery teachers and ayahs with 10 years or more of continuous service were to be absorbed as part-time contingent employees.

The Cabinet had also cleared permanent status for those initially appointed part-time through the Employment Exchange and later shifted to daily wage arrangements.

The move has triggered political controversy, with allegations that many beneficiaries are family members or sympathisers of the ruling party.

–IANS

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