The Kerala High Court on Tuesday observed that the State's move to increase the salary of employees by trying to squeeze the common man was to pamper an organized vote-bank.

Now, when the entire state is facing a severe financial crisis, the government is squeezing ordinary people to maintain its coffers to facilitate this pay reform, Justice Alexander Thomas said criticising the move.

While other states increase salaries every eight to nine years, Kerala revises it every four and a half years. And no political party or organization dares to speak openly about this, Thomas said.

The court's decision comes whilst considering a petition related to land reclamation. As per the earlier law, it was sufficient to pay 20 per cent of the fair value of the land to regulate land acquisition. However, a new government order (passed with retrospective effect) has this revised to 20 per cent of the highest registered price of land in the vicinity.

The court deemed this as one oppressing the public. It also observed that the recent actions taken by the Department of Motor Vehicles to impose hefty fines on the public too was uncalled for.

The court cannot remain silent, Thomas said and hinted at a possible intervention into the pay reform as well.