Delhi: Big relief to 25 lakh commuters as High Court directs, 'Delhi Metro Employees can't strike'; orders authorities to resolve the issues

Delhi High Court on Friday ruled out the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation or DMRC staffs strike from midnight, stating 25 lakh daily commuters travels in Delhi Metro. The DMRC employees were to go on a strike over a number of demands, including pay-scale revision.

Justice Vipin Sanghi reportedly ruled that the plan of nearly 9,000 non-executive metro staffers to go on strike didn't appear to be justified or legal.
The court said the DMRC is running a public utility service which caters to around 25 lakh citizens of Delhi on a daily basis. Justice Sanghi also said sufficient notice has not been given to DMRC and the conciliation proceedings are still in progress.

"... 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.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia also called a meeting of the metro officials to discuss the demands of the employees.

"Whereas all genuine demands of Metro employees shud are met, strike wud cause inconvenience to lakhs of people. Strike shud does not take place. Whereas govt imposing ESMA as last resort, I wud urge employees to not resort to strike (sic)," Mr Kejriwal said in a tweet.