Govt defends move to treat strike period as EL

Hyderabad: The State government filed an affidavit before the High Court seeking liberty to treat 38 days strike period of AP Secretariat Seemandhra Employees Forum as earned leave.

In his present affidavit, Principal Secretary to Government (services & HRM) sought modification of an earlier order of the court.

Earlier dealing with a writ petition filed by G Yadaiah, a social activist, the court said that the government could not put in cold storage its earlier stated stance of no work-no pay. The petitioner had sought strict implementation GO 177 to deal with the employees' strike in the context of then strike by the Telangana supporting officers of the State.

The court, in its interim orders in August, 2011, suspended operation of GO 1617 which has resulted in reviving the conditions like ‘No work - No pay’ etc. enumerated in GO 177.

However, in the present affidavit the government would point out that the State was facing an unprecedented agitation in view of the decision taken by the Central cabinet to bifurcate the State. There had been a series of agitations not only among the

employees of the State government but also among other professionals on the said issue.

It also stated that in 2012, a petition was filed seeking modification of the orders enabling to treat the period of Telangana employees, who were on strike for 42 days, as earned leave to their credit. The court then had modified its orders giving liberty to the Group of Ministers to take the decision on strike period of Telangana employees. The present affidavit would seek parity in treatment.