DMRC strike: Delhi High Court restrains staff from going on strike

Delhi High Court on Friday restrained DMRC staff from going on their proposed strike from midnight.

Justice Vipin Sanghi after an urgent hearing, passed the interim order holding that prima facie, the proposed action of the metro staff does not seem to be justified or legal.

“DMRC is running a public utility service which caters to around 25 lakh citizens of Delhi on a daily basis and sufficient notice has not been given to DMRC and the conciliation proceedings are still in progress” the court said.

“... I am inclined to grant ad-interim relief as sought in the application. Accordingly, the respondents (employees) are restrained from going on strike on June 30 or till further orders in the matter,” the judge said in its five-page order.

DMRC moved the urgent petition which was mentioned before Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal who assigned it for hearing before Justice Sanghi.

Meanwhile the Delhi government was of the view that all genuine demands of the metro employees should be met and also ensure smooth functioning of the Delhi Metro.

Earlier Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) may be imposed to ensure smooth functioning of the Delhi Metro as non-executive staff of the DMRC threatened to go on strike from midnight.

“Whereas all genuine demands of Metro employees shud be met, strike wud cause inconvenience to lakhs of people. Strike shud not take place. Whereas govt imposing ESMA as last resort, I wud urge employees to not resort to strike (sic),” Kejriwal tweeted.

Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot had on Friday directed the DMRC to resolve the issues of its non-executive employees who have threatened to go on a strike.

(With inputs from agencies)