Orissa HC quashes affidavit clause in GIA policy for teachers

The Orissa High Court has quashed the affidavit clause in the state government's Grant-in-Aid (GIA) policy for teachers.

Adjudicating over a writ petition challenging the 2017 policy, Justice A K Rath, in his ruling, said the clause infringed on the fundamental rights of the teachers.

The affidavit clause would require the teachers to submit an affidavit that they would not resort to any legal action in future after accepting the new GIA policy, the petitioner's counsel Buddhadev Routray said.

The policy promises the teachers financial benefits such as basic pay, grade pay and increments. In the earlier block grant system, they were getting only a consolidated amount.

The high court order, bringing relief to the teachers, was delivered yesterday, but they have been continuing their dharna at Bhubaneswar.

School and college teachers were on dharna for a week to press for their demands including abolition of the affidavit clause.