New Delhi | The Delhi High Court on Friday asked the city police to allot a venue to the United forum of Bank Unions Delhi State for holding a peaceful dharna here next week.
Justice Amit Mahajan asked the authorities to take a decision on the Union's request for permission for the peaceful protest at an alternative site, after the counsel for the authorities, advocate Pritish Sabharwal, said allowing a protest at Jantar Mantar entails a "law and order situation".
"Give him something. They are saying give them some other place. They can't be coming to court for this," the court orally said.
"The respondents are directed to consider the petitioner's request for an alternative site for holding peaceful demonstration," the court ordered.
Justice Mahajan asked the authorities to take a decision on providing an alternative site for a peaceful protest by Monday and communicate it to the petitioner.
In their petition, the United forum of Bank Unions Delhi State sought a direction to the Centre and Delhi Police to permit them to hold a peaceful dharna on September 28- 30 at Jantar Mantar or any other place in the city.
The petitioner said it was an umbrella organisation of trade unions in banking industry, representing the majority bank employees and officers in negotiating their service conditions.
The petition said the authorities had earlier "arbitrarily denied" permission for a dharna on September 11 and 18 at the eleventh hour to "sabotage the agitation program" of bank employees, and they were yet to respond to their fresh representation for holding the demonstration next week.
The United forum of Bank Unions has announced a nation-wide bank strike on September 28 to 30, seeking several initiatives for the welfare of the bank employees, including a 5-day banking week.
The other demands include an update and improvement of pension, a uniform dearness allowance formula for all pensioners and an option for employees covered under the National Pension System (NPS) to switch to the old pension scheme (OPS).
