Karnataka High Court restrains transport unions from going ahead with strike on May 20

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday passed an interim order restraining the Trade Unions of Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation Employees and its constituents from going ahead with their proposed transport strike from May 20 or acting in terms of their strike notice dated April 29, 2026. A vacation division bench comprising Justices Suraj Govindaraj and K Manmadha Rao passed the order after hearing a public interest litigation (PIL).

The petition was filed by C Vedavathi and HV Sreedhara, both residents of Bengaluru. The petition contended that the proposed strike is in direct contravention of section 22(1)(d) of the Industrial Disputes Act, which prohibits a strike during the pendency of conciliation proceedings. The petitioners claimed that the conciliation proceedings initiated by the Labour Commissioner's July 18, 2025, notice are pending.

The petitioners submitted that the proposed strike directly coincides with the SSLC Supplementary Examinations scheduled between May 18 and May 25. The counsel for the petitioners said that the strike would impact the daily commuters and mainly students appearing for the supplementary examination. The petitioners further submitted that in August 2025, despite the high court's interim order, transport services were disrupted and approximately 17,200 show-cause notices were issued to the employees. The present strike is called despite the government revising the pay at 12.5% with effect from April 1, 2025.

The counsel for KSRTC and other three state transport corporations submitted that 12.5% hike is cleared by the authorities and already Rs 450 crore has been released as a first instalment towards salary hike.

As the government advocate sought time to file a response to the petition, the division bench granted two days’ time. The bench directed that a meeting be held between the representatives of Joint Action Committee (JAC) of Trade Unions and the transport minister and with the Chief Minister along with respective secretaries. Before adjourning the hearing, the bench ordered notices to the state government, the KSRTC, BMTC, NWKRTC and the KKRTC, the four state owned transport corporations.