The High Court on Monday asked the petitioner who had challenged the ongoing APNGOs’ strike to explain by Tuesday about the consequences that would arise from violation of Rule 4 and 5 of the AP Civil Services (Conduct) Rules and the action the government could take on such a violation.
A division bench comprising chief justice Kalyan Jyoti Sengupta and justice KC Bhanu, while dealing with a public interest litigation petition (PIL) by V Ravi Kumar, an advocate of the city, seeking declaration of the ongoing strike by the state government employees as illegal, asked the petitioner to tell about the duties and powers cast upon the state government in tackling the strike which began at midnight on August 12 and adjourned the case hearing to Tuesday. Earlier, the petitioner’s counsel, S Satyam Reddy, said that no government employee could participate in any strike in accordance with the AP Civil Services (conduct) Rules. Tamil Nadu government had terminated the services of about 2 lakh employees in 2001 when they went on strike. “Seemandhra employees cannot agitate on an issue which is purely political and is determined by Parliament. Service associations cannot go on strike against a political decision to bifurcate the state. The employees cannot take the society to ransom,” he claimed.
The petitioner’s counsel urged the court to compel the state government to discharge its duties in respect of the ongoing strike. “Though the state government has constituted a committee with a group of ministers to resolve the issue, it has failed to take steps to put an end to the strike. The court has to declare the strike illegal keeping the sufferings of the people in view,” he said.
Intervening, the chief justice asked the counsel to tell whether the state government has the power to tackle the issue. The counsel said that the government had got powers in accordance with the AP Civil Service (Classification, control and appeal) Rules.
Before adjourning, the bench asked the petitioner to explain about the duties and powers cast upon the government in tackling the prevailing situation.