KOCHI: Kerala high court has stayed the government order allowing paid leave to government employees on January 8 and 9, which were general strike days.

The division bench that included the chief justice said that the order sent wrong messages to society. The Public Administration had issued an order on January 31, allowing salary and casual leave for those who had taken part in the general strike.

The court allowed stay on the order in response to a petition filed by Alappuzha Kalarcode native G Balagopalan. “General strike doesn’t appears to be prima-facie permissible. Even if it is legal, an order cannot be issued, giving mass leave to employees, just because of that,” the court said in its interim order on Tuesday.

“The employees will have to give application in advance for leaves and allowing leaves without that is a wrong step. Giving leave with salary tantamounts to draining of government fund,” the division bench made oral observation.

The court also instructed the government to give explanation in this matter. All unions except BMS had called a general strike against Central government’s policies on January 8 and 9.