The Uttar Pradesh government on Friday invoked the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA), banning strikes by government employees in all State government departments, corporations, and authorities for a period of six months. The decision came during ongoing farmers strike called by various union organisations.
“In exercise of the powers under sub section (1) of the section-3 of the Uttar Pradesh Essential Services Maintenance Act, 1966 (UP Act No 30 of 1966), the State government prohibited strike for a period of six months from the date of the notification,” the notification issued by Additional chief secretary (ACS) Devesh Chaturvedi read.
The Act gives the police the power to arrest the employees violating provisions without a warrant and imprisonment for a term which may extend up to one year or a fine which may extend to ₹1,000 or both, to any person who instigated a strike which was illegal under the Act.
In the past, the U.P. government had banned strikes for six months during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, and again in May 2021.
