Delhi electricity employees wanted to call a strike on January 8 or January 9 to press for their demands.
Ahead of a proposed strike called by electricity employees in Delhi, Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal invoked the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA), declaring the supply and distribution of electricity as "essential"
"The Delhi LG... prohibits the strike by electricity employees and engineers (BSES, BSES Yamuna and TATA power) for a period of six months," a Delhi government notification said late on Friday.
The three power discoms had written to Delhi's power department requesting to invoke ESMA in view of the proposed strike.
"It is imperative that the necessary provisions under the ESMA may be invoked well before January 8 to prohibit strikes which may lead to the total disruption of essential services and the crippling of life for all the inhabitants of Delhi," a letter by the discoms said.
Electricity employees and engineers in Delhi were planning to launch a one-day strike on January 8 or January 9 to press for their demands. They also planned to join a nationwide strike called by central trade unions on either of the two days.