Government staff on leave due to Manipur violence, CM Biren Singh enforces ‘no work, no pay’ rule

By Saraswat Kashyap: The growing absenteeism of Manipur government employees due to the month-long ethnic violence in the state has triggered the government to invoke the ‘no work, no pay’ rule for its staff.

The decisions came after Chief Minister of Manipur N Biren Singh chaired a cabinet meeting on June 12. A circular issued on Monday night by GAD Secretary Michael Achom said, “…all employees drawing their salaries from General Administration Department, Manipur Secretariat are informed that no work, no pay may be invoked to all those employees who do not attend their official duty without authorized leave.”

The General Administration Department (GAD) has been asked to furnish details of employees who are not able to attend their official work due to the prevailing situation in the state so as to take appropriate necessary action.

One lakh employees of the Manipur government will be affected by this decision.

Manipur has been grappling with a month-long period of ethnic violence following a directive from the high court, urging the state government to consider including the Meitei community in the list of Scheduled Tribes (STs). The escalating violence prompted the Center to deploy paramilitary forces to the Northeastern state.

The outbreak of violence occurred on May 3 during a rally organized by the All Tribals Students Union (ATSU) to protest against the demand for including Meiteis in the ST list.