This State Imposes ESMA for Six Months; Government Employees Barred from Strikes

Lucknow (The Uttam Hindu): The Uttar Pradesh government has imposed a complete ban on all types of strikes in the state for the next six months. A notification regarding this decision was issued by M. Devaraj, Principal Secretary of the Appointment and Personnel Department, and sent to all departments, corporations, and local bodies.

According to the notification, the government has taken this step under the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA)–1966. The order clearly states that no government employee will be allowed to announce or participate in any strike or protest during the next six months.

The government said the decision was necessary to ensure the smooth functioning of essential services and to safeguard public interest. With this restriction in place, strikes are completely prohibited in all offices, corporations, and local bodies functioning under the state government.

Earlier in June, a similar six-month ban was imposed to prevent strikes related to the proposed privatization of the power supply system. That restriction has now been extended again for another six months.