Karnataka HC cracks whip, trade unions suspend strike till Aug 7
Bengaluru, Aug 5 (PTI): The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday came down heavily on the transport strike despite its interim order and warned of contempt proceedings, following which the KSRTC Staff and Workers’ Federation announced suspension of the agitation till August 7, when the matter will be heard next.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice C M Joshi expressed strong displeasure over the strike being carried out despite the invocation of the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) and the court’s direction not to proceed with the agitation.
The bench warned that the continuation of the strike would not be tolerated and would initiate contempt proceedings against the union leaders.
The court extended its earlier interim order restraining the strike by two more days and directed the unions to submit an affidavit on Wednesday confirming that the strike has been called off.
KSRTC Staff and Workers’ Federation president H V Anantha Subbarao told reporters in Bengaluru that the agitation had been suspended till August 7 and employees had been instructed to return to work with immediate effect.
During the hearing, the Advocate General informed the court that the strike had caused significant hardship to the public.
In response to a query from the bench regarding efforts at conciliation, details of past rounds of talks with the government were submitted.
The court observed that if there are issues then they should be resolved through talks with the government.
It also noted that resorting to a strike even after ESMA had been enforced was unlawful. The court also issued notices to the unions of all four state transport corporations.
The counsel for the Joint Action Committee assured the court that the strike would not continue on Wednesday. The court made it clear that if the strike is resumed, the government is free to take appropriate legal action under ESMA.
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K'taka remains central to Aequs' strategy, says min Patil amid row over firm's investment in TN
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Commerce and Industries Minister M B Patil on Monday asserted that Aequs continues to expand in the state and that its proposed investment in neighbouring Tamil Nadu was a business decision aimed at diversification, not a shift away from Karnataka.
Reacting to criticism on social media over reports that the Karnataka-based firm had signed a major investment deal in Tamil Nadu's Krishnagiri district for setting up a specialised aerospace and defense manufacturing cluster, he said the state government was fully aware of the company's plans and remained confident about its long-term commitment to Karnataka.
"While we welcome every major investment in India, would like to clarify a few points," Patil said in a post on 'X'.
Aequs was significantly expanding its footprint within Karnataka, including a Rs 3,000 crore investment in Kolar for electronics manufacturing.
"Its recently approved Rs 1,500 crore ECMS project will also be grounded in the state. Karnataka remains central to its long-term strategy," he said.
Patil added that the government had prior knowledge of the TN proposal.
The government was already informed and aware that the TN investment is a business decision aimed at geographic diversification and de-risking operations, not a shift away from Karnataka.
"Healthy competition between states strengthens India's manufacturing ecosystem," he said.
Emphasising the state's focus on high-technology sectors, Patil said, "We remain committed to deepening Karnataka's leadership in aerospace and advanced manufacturing, and our engagement with industry partners is strong and ongoing."
The Aequs Group has pledged Rs 4,000 crore to bolster Tamil Nadu's aerospace manufacturing capabilities at the SIPCOT-Shoolagiri Industrial Park in Krishnagiri district.
The group proposes to establish a specialised aerospace and defense manufacturing cluster for the production of aircraft engines, gearbox components, and precision engineering parts. This initiative is expected to provide employment to 7,000 individuals.
