The Delhi High Court on Friday ruled that protesting non-executive employees of the Delhi Metro cannot go on their proposed strike from 30 June.

Appealing before the Court against the strike, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) stated that the Delhi Metro is the lifeline of the public transportation system in the national capital.

Just before the court’s order, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had warned protesting Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) employees that the provisions of the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) will be imposed if they do not call off their strike.

Urging the protesters to not go on strike from Saturday, 30 June, the Delhi CM took to Twitter to issue his request along with the warning.

“Whereas all genuine demands of Metro employees shud be met, strike wud cause inconvenience to lakhs of people. Strike shud not take place. Whereas govt imposing ESMA as last resort, I wud urge employees to not resort to strike,” he said.

Whereas all genuine demands of Metro employees shud be met, strike wud cause inconvenience to lakhs of people. Strike shud not take place. Whereas govt imposing ESMA as last resort, I wud urge employees to not resort to strike. https://t.co/kbWtkUZvCL

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) June 29, 2018

The ESMA guarantees the continuity of certain services, which if obstructed would affect the normal life of the people. This include services like public transport (bus services), health services (doctors and hospitals).

Kejriwal also retweeted a statement by Manish Sisodia in which the deputy Chief Minister said that he has received instructions from the CM that the genuine demands of the employees be met and ESMA be imposed if needed.

“Have recieved instructions from Kejriwal that all the genuine demands of the Metro employees should be met to keep them happy for smooth functioning of Delhi Metro. Also if needed ESMA be imposed to prevent Metro strike,” Sisodia said in a tweet. He added that he had called in an urgent meeting of DMRC officials to discuss the demands of the employees.

Sisodia said that he has forwarded the file related to ESMA to Lt Governor Anil Baijal.

Have called an urgent meeting of Metro officers to discuss the demands of employees.. Also file related to ESMA being sent for concurrence of Hon LG.

— Manish Sisodia (@msisodia) June 29, 2018

The Delhi Metro employees had said they will go on a strike from June 30 if their demands, including pay scale revision, are not met by then.

Earlier today, Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot directed DMRC to resolve the issues of its non-executive employees.

In a letter to the DMRC managing director, the transport minister also sought to know about the progress of talks between the officials and the employees.

The minister has offered his help to DMRC in case his intervention is needed to resolve the issue.

Delhi Metro services might be severely affected from tomorrow as the non-executive staff of the transporter have threatened to go on a strike, if their demands are not met by then.

There are nearly 12,000 people employed with the transporter, with non-executive staffers accounting for about 9,000. The workforce includes train operators, station controllers, operations and maintenance staff and technicians.

Some of the non-executive staff of DMRC has been demonstrating at a few metro stations, including Yamuna Bank and Shahdara, since 19 June in support of their eight-point demands.