The High Court of Andhra Pradesh ordered the AP Government to pay full salaries along with 12 per cent interest to the Government employees for the months of March and April. The HC gave a deadline of two months at that time. Even now, the issue got delayed with the State Government approaching the Supreme Court of India. The HC order was given following a petition by the employees objecting to 50 per cent cut in salaries by the Jagan Reddy regime in the name of lesser revenues in view of the Coronavirus pandemic.
Now, Justice Chandrachud bench of the Supreme Court issued stay on the payment of 12 per cent interest as ordered by the High Court. It postponed the hearing. The SC order came in the wake of a strong plea made by the Jagan Reddy regime that their Government cannot pay the amount considering how badly Covid infections have reduced the State revenue.
The cuts in salaries at the time of peak level Corona infections caused much heartburn among the employees. The AP Secretariat employees were unhappy. They were already struggling after the Government came out with the shifting of the Secretariat to Visakhapatnam as part of the 3 Capitals plan. Following severe criticism, the Government has later stopped 50 per cent cut in salaries. However, the arrears are yet to be paid for the months of March and April.
Though the High Court ordered for giving relief, the AP Government expectedly knocked on the doors of the Supreme Court like in most other issues. Ever since coming to power, the YCP has not executed any order of the AP High Court in full and 99 per cent of these orders were contested in the Apex Court.