Kerala HC: Contribution to CM Relief Fund cannot be a matter of compulsion

On 8th July, 2021 the High Court of Kerala held that the forcible deduction of amounts of pension of retired employees and its remittance into the Chief Minister's Relief Fund is invalid. The amount deducted is to be paid back immediately.

Any contribution to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund or such other can be effected only with full volition of the contributor and cannot be a matter of compulsion or forced compliance.

Relevant extracts of the said order have been reproduced below-

“In the afore circumstances, I allow this writ petition, recording the afore submissions of Sri.N.Satheesh; with a consequential direction to the respondents to refund the amounts deducted from the pension of the petitioners within a period of two weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this judgment, with a further declaration that no such amount shall be deducted, except if they give specific consent for the same in writing.”