The Uttar Pradesh government extended the provisions of Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) banning all types of strikes and protests in government-run offices and organisations across the state with immediate effect for the next six months.
According to a government notification issued on Tuesday and made public on Thursday, all strikes in government offices and organisations have been banned for the next six months. “As the provision of ESMA expired on May 24, it was mandatory to extend it,” a government official said. The ban will be enforced in all government departments, including all public services, authorities, corporations under the UP government.
The Essential Services Maintenance Act, 1996 (ESMA) can be invoked by any government in their respective jurisdiction to prohibit striking employees from refusing to work on certain essential services which were necessary and important for maintaining normal life in the region. The ESMA mandates imprisonment for a term which may extend to a year or a fine of Rs 1,000 or both, to any person who tries to instigate a strike.
Services falling under this category include those related to public conservancy, water supply, sanitation, hospitals, or related to the defense of the country; supply or distribution of petroleum, coal, power, fertilizers, transportat, distribution of food grains and employees can not refuse to work overtime if the work was considered necessary.