Approach govt or court, avoid strikes, HC advises auto union

Expressing displeasure about the strike declared by an auto rickshaw union in the city on August 21, the Bombay High Court today said commuters should not be inconvenienced time and again, and the union should approach the court or the government with its grievances.
The division bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and S C Gupte was hearing a public interest litigation filed by city-based NGO Mumbai Grahak Panchayat seeking direction to the Maharashtra government to restrain the union from proceeding with the strike.
The Mumbai Auto Rickshaw union led by Sharad Rao has announced a 72-hour strike from August 21, seeking a fare-hike and implementation of other recommendations of Hakim committee, appointed by the state earlier.

"If you (the union) have problems then go to the government or come to court. Everytime you cannot threaten to strike and cause inconvenience to lakhs of commuters," the High Court observed today.
The bench further noted that as the main petition filed by the NGO last year challenging the fare hike of October 2012 was still pending, the rickshaw union should have come to the court with its grievances.
Further hearing would be tomorrow.
The petition has also sought that government should invoke Maharashtra Essential Services Maintenance Act (MESMA) to prevent the strike.
Last month the Maharashtra government had informed the High Court that there would be no hike in fares in the near future.