HPSEBL employees raise concern over “Blanket Ban” on peaceful protests
Photo used for indicative purpose only. Source Internet
Shimla, July 11,
The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of HPSEBL Employees, Engineers, and Pensioners has lodged a strong protest against an order issued by the HP State Electricity Board Ltd. (HPSEBL) on July 10, 2025, which imposes “a blanket ban on holding peaceful demonstrations in front of the HPSEBL working premises”.
In a letter addressed to the Director (Personnel) of HPSEBL, the JAC stated its belief in resolving issues through dialogue and negotiation, but expressed disappointment that “the management is not coming forward with responsibility and sincerity to resolve the issues through negotiation”. The committee highlighted that it has been requesting a meeting with management for the past five months, with “no meeting has been fixed in the last five months”, compelling them to organize “Bijli Panchayats throughout the state in favour of these demands”.
The JAC emphasized that “expressing dissent and raising collective concerns through peaceful demonstrations is a time-honoured and legally recognized method of engagement between the administration and the public and employees”. They argued that “Protesting in front of the relevant office is symbolic and strategic, as it ensures that grievances are directly brought to the attention of decision-makers”.
The committee asserted that the ban “disproportionately restricts the democratic right of employees to peaceful assembly and expression, as guaranteed under the Constitution of India”. They also cited that “under Article -19(1) every employee has the right of peaceful protest and assembly”, and that “These are fundamental rights and cannot be snatched away by an administrative order”. Furthermore, they noted that “the Union Govt. has legislated Trade Union Act to ensure that these rights are not violated”.
The JAC “strongly refutes such unfounded claims” made in the HPSEBL order that employees are being forced to leave their seats during working hours to participate in protests. They clarified that “Their participation stems from genuine concern over pressing service-related issues and policies that directly impact their welfare, dignity, and their future in the organization”.
The Joint Action Committee has requested “that the arbitrary order referred to above may please be withdrawn and a meeting may please be given to the JAC on the issues already submitted to the management”. The JAC believes “this order has been issued by the management in order to curtail resistance from the employees in the matter of rationalization and structural changes in HPSEBL”, and stated it has “decided that such acts of the management will be opposed vehemently and the consequences will rest with the management”.
The JAC expressed hope that HPSEBL management “will come forward with deep sense of responsibility, and will resolve the issues through across the table negotiation by calling a meeting with JAC with appropriate authorities in order to maintain healthy management-employee relations”. The letter was signed by Er. Lokesh Thakur, Convener, and Hira Lal Verma, Co-Convener of the Joint Action Committee.
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