Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government has banned strikes by employees in universities and colleges.
The decision comes after the ban on tobacco in offices by the government led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
An order issued on March 31 barred teachers from strike until June 30 under the stringent Essential Services Maintenance Act, which gives police the powers to arrest, without a warrant, anybody violating its provisions.
The government order said that any strike in these higher education institutions will remain banned “in public interest” for a period of three months.
The decision comes head of =number examinations scheduled for the next three months. “The ban will be applicable to all services in universities, constituent colleges and affiliate colleges,” according to an official release here.
Uttar Pradesh has around 30 state universities, besides 25 private and 10 deemed varsities. With the decision, employees in “essential services” are now prohibited from going on strike. Under the act, states are allowed to choose the essential services on which ESMA can be invoked.
The 1968 act stipulates six-month prison term for those joining a strike and one year for those instigating it.
Adityanath had earlier advised against the use of pan masala, plastic and pan in government buildings and offices.
He has also directed the officials to maintain cleanliness in the state government offices of Uttar Pradesh.