Karnataka High Court Restrains Transport Unions From Going On Indefinite Strike, Directs State To Hold Meeting With Representatives

The Karnataka High Court on Thursday (19 May) restrained the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of various road transport trade unions from starting an indefinite strike from tomorrow.

The unions in question constitute of employees of Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) and the Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (KKRTC). As per the strike notice date April 29, the unions are to go on indefinite strike from tomorrow.

The Division Bench of Justices Suraj Govindaraj and K.Manmadha Rao also directed the State Government to hold a meeting between the representatives of the unions, the transport minister, the Chief Minister, and the respective Secretaries to smoothen out the conflict.

“Respondent No.7 and its constituent Unions are restrained from going on strike or acting on the strike notice dated 29.04.2026.Learned Additional Advocate General seeks for and is granted two days' time to obtain instructions and make his submission as to when a meeting could be held between the representative of respondent No.7-Organization and Minister for Transport, the Chief Minister and the respective Secretaries….”, the court ordered while issuing notice to the respondents.

The matter will be heard again on May 21.

The vacation bench was hearing a public interest litigation preferred by C. Vedavathi- a housemaid, and Sreedhara H.V- a construction worker, who challenged the imminent strike by stating that it would adversely affect 1.20 crore passengers travelling daily on the buses of the Corporations. 60% out of these commuters are women who travel free of cost under the Government of Karnataka's Shakti Scheme, who would be left with no other option, the plea states. The petitioners also point out the inconvenience the indefinite strike would cause students from rural areas who rely on public transport for attending their SSLC supplementary exams [May 18-May 25].

The daily wage workers, hence, prayed for the relief of granting a writ of mandamus, restraining the trade unions from proceeding with the indefinite strike, and appropriate directions to the state for preventing the strike and ensuring uninterrupted access to public transport.

The plea adds that the current strike is unnecessary considering that the state Government revised the employees' pay at 12.5% with effect from April 1, 2025, and sanctioned Rs. 1,271.92 crores as the difference of wages, and disbursed Rs. 450 crores as a first instalment. The conciliation proceedings between the unions and the labour commissioner are also currently ongoing, with the next hearing scheduled for May 25, 2026, and any proposed strike in between would violate Section 22(1)(d) of the Industrial Disputes Act as per the petitioners.

Pertinently, a state government notification dated December 23, 2025, issued under Section 3(1) of the Karnataka Essential Services Maintenance (Amendment) Act, 2013 (KESMA), had prohibited strikes in the services of KSRTC, BMTC, NWKRTC, and KKRTC with effect from January 1, 2026, up to June 30, 2026.

Similarly, a state government notification dated February 5, 2026, issued under Section 2(n)(vi) of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, designated the Transport Corporation's services as 'public utility services' for the period up to June 30, 2026, the plea adds.

Moreover, the 14-day notice period mandated under Section 22(1)(a) of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 has not been observed since the strike handbill was given only 6- or 7-days prior, the petitioners contend.

Accordingly, the court halted the strike called for by the corporation unions as an interim direction.

The court's interim order effectively stalls the strike action pending further directions and a high-level meeting between the government and the union representatives.

Senior Advocate Vikram Huilgol represented the petitioners. Adv. Clifton Rozario appeared for Joint Action Committee of Trade Unions.

Case Title: C. Vedavathi & Anr. v. State of Karnataka & Ors.

Case No: WP 15683/2026

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