The Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) is an act of Parliament of India which was established to ensure the delivery of certain services, which if obstructed would affect the normal life of the people.
In case of disruption on a national scale, especially railways, the ESMA 1968 can be invoked by central government.
Although it is a very powerful law, which has potential to suppress genuine demands of employees, its execution rests entirely on the discretion of the State government in normal circumstances.
The law in effect is the Andhra Pradesh Essential Services Maintenance Act of 1971.
As is the general rule, it has slight variations in the provisions of the law from the central act.
[5][6] In Rajasthan this law is known as RESMA (Rajasthan Essential Services Maintenance Act),(1970) The Government of Karnataka enacted Karnataka Essential Services Maintenance Act in 1994[7] and was in force since 16 April 1994.
Doctors call off strike hours after AAP govt imposes ESMA.