Bengaluru: The Karnataka government has invoked the Essential Services Management Act (ESMA) ahead of the Karnataka Police's proposed statewide strike on June 4. Under the act, the striking staff will face imprisonment and a fine or both.
In an attempt to break the proposed strike by police constables, the Director General of Police (DGP) Omprakash issued a circular warning the men in uniform of dire consequences, if they go on mass casual leave.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has also warned against any act of "indiscipline" by the force. Siddaramaiah chaired a meeting of Home Department and police officials and asked the force not to get instigated, saying there should not be any room for indiscipline.
Requesting police not to participate in the protest, he said, "If you participate, it will be indiscipline. We have complete faith in our police force. There has never been indiscipline. Even now they will not indulge in any indiscipline by going on mass leave."
Siddaramaiah also expressed confidence that keeping public safety and protection of law and order in mind, the force would stay away from any such protest. "There is no scope for mass leave, every one should understand that," he said, adding, the government will take action against those instigating the police.
In a letter to Home Minister G Parameshwara on May 13, Shashidhar had highlighted the issues faced by police, particularly constables, and their intention to go on mass leave. The letter pointed out irregular working hours coupled with no proper leave and pay anomaly, among others.
Karnataka has over 73,000 police officials. Of them, over 60,000 are police constables and over 30,000 of them have already applied for a day's leave on June 4.
The police force has never gone on strike in the state and rules also don't permit them to abandon duty and protest. The DGP has ordered all ADGPs, IGPs, Police Commissioners and SPs not to sanction the mass casual leave on June 4.
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