Karnataka Forms Public Transport Fare Regulation Committee; Mohandas Pai Urges CM Siddaramaiah to Open Doors for Private Operators
Bengaluru: The proposed statewide transport strike in Karnataka scheduled for Wednesday has been temporarily called off after the Karnataka High Court intervened and directed transport employee unions not to proceed with the agitation for now.
The High Court also instructed the Karnataka government to immediately hold discussions with transport employee unions and attempt to resolve their grievances through negotiations.
The court’s intervention has come as a major setback for organisations preparing for the strike, while also increasing pressure on the government to address the demands of transport workers within the next two days.
No Bus Bandh Tomorrow
Following the High Court’s order, there will be no bus bandh or transport strike on Wednesday. Public transport services, including KSRTC and BMTC operations, are expected to function normally for now.
The matter has been postponed for further hearing till Thursday, giving both the government and transport unions time to conduct talks and submit a report before the court.
PIL Filed by Common Citizens
The High Court took up a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Vedavathi from Lakkasandra and Sridhar from Suddaguntepalya, who reportedly works as a construction labourer.
The court initially expressed surprise that ordinary citizens had approached the High Court over the proposed strike affecting the public.
During the hearing:
- Lawyers representing the petitioners argued that the strike would severely affect the public
- Concerns were raised over inconvenience during ongoing SSLC examinations
- The government informed the court that a 12% salary hike had already been provided and pending dues worth around ₹450 crore had been released
On the other hand, lawyers representing transport workers argued that employees were not receiving adequate response from the government and that their grievances remained unresolved.
High Court Directs Talks
After hearing all sides, the High Court directed transport unions to temporarily withdraw the strike and instructed the government and transport department to conduct meetings with employee representatives immediately.
The court asked the government to submit:
- Details of discussions held with transport unions
- Decisions taken during negotiations
- Status report on employee demands
before Thursday’s hearing.
Pressure Mounts on Government
While the temporary suspension of the strike is being viewed as immediate relief for the government and commuters, the High Court’s intervention has also increased pressure on the state administration.
The government now has only two days to:
- Hold negotiations with transport unions
- Understand employee demands
- Explore possible solutions
- Submit a compliance report before the High Court
Legal observers believe that if the grievances remain unresolved, the High Court may issue further directions to the government regarding employee benefits and pending demands.
Transport Unions Await Government Response
Transport employee organisations are now expected to participate in talks with the government over salary revisions, pending benefits and other service-related demands.
Officials indicated that the government may soon convene meetings with union leaders in an attempt to avoid future strike threats and ensure uninterrupted public transport services across Karnataka.
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