Contempt plea against govt employees body over strike

The Madras High Court today directed the functionaries of two organisations of government employees to appear before it on September 15 on a plea seeking contempt action against them for going on a strike despite a court order banning it.
Justices K K Sasidharan and G R Swaminathan of the Madurai bench gave the direction while hearing a contempt petition filed by one Sekaran who filed a PIL against the indefinite strike by government employees and teachers who are members of Joint Action Council of Teachers Organisations and Government Employees Organisations (JACTO-GEO).
On September 7, the high court had stayed the strike by JACTO-GEO after accepting the contention of the petitioner that the protest would affect the common man.

He also claimed that the government employees and teachers have no legal right to go on a strike.
Despite the court order, the members of JACTO-GEO continued their strike throughout the state, and the same was brought to the notice of the court following which it ordered contempt action against the JACTO-GEO functionaries and coordinators.
The judges had directed the JACTO GEO coordinators and functionaries to be present in the court on September 15 and also ordered the police to serve the court notice to them.
The JACTO-GEO had given a call for the strike from September 7 to press for their demands, including restoration of the old pension scheme.