Bank strike: Deferred temporarily, announces AIBEA

New Delhi: Banks will be open and operations normal on Tuesday and Wednesday after a section of the public sector bank employees on Monday deferred their proposed two-day nationwide strike following the intervention of the Delhi High Court.

The nationwide strike, in protest against the proposed merger of SBI associates and privatisation of IDBI Bank, was scheduled for July 12 and 13.

However, with the interference of the Delhi High Court, the proposed strike has been deferred.

"In view of Delhi High Court restrain order our strike on July 12 and 13 stands deferred," All India Bank Employees' Association General Secretary C H Venkatachalam said.

Earlier, the employee union had announced to go on strike to protest against the proposed merger of SBI associates and privatisation of IDBI Bank.

All India Bank Officers' Association and State Sector Bank Employees' Association had also announced their support to the strike.

The high court in its order on a plea of State Bank of Patiala and four other subsidiary banks of SBI restrained State Sector Bank Employees Association (SSBEA) and All India Bank Employees' Association (AIBEA) from proceeding ahead with the two-day strike till the next date of hearing.

The HC listed the matter for further hearing on July 20.

The five associate lenders of SBI are State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur, State Bank of Travancore, State Bank of Mysore, State Bank of Patiala and State Bank of Hyderabad.

With PTI Inputs