Nestle India's plea rejected: no ban on union protests within 500 m of Pantnagar factory gate; court says raising demands peacefully is not illegal

The court of Fourth Additional Civil Judge (Senior Division) Ravindra Dev Mishra in Rudrapur has rejected the plea of Nestle India Limited, Pantnagar, seeking a ban on protests, meetings and slogan-shouting by workers' organisations within 500 metres of the factory's main gate. According to Amar Ujala, the company filed the suit in 2023 against office-bearers of the Nestle Mazdoor Sangh and the Nestle Karmachari Sangathan. It alleged that on August 25, 2023 union members did not let officials leave for more than an hour and that the protest at the gate affected the movement of goods. The unions said workers had been raising their demands peacefully. According to the paper, the company's witnesses accepted that production ran smoothly and the digital evidence was not legally proved. The court held that peacefully raising demands for wage rises and facilities is not illegal.