New Delhi: The Delhi crisis arising from the sit-in by chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and three of his ministers in the lieutenant-governor's waiting room showed signs of abating on Monday.

Hearing two pleas against the AAP dharna and the IAS "strike", Delhi High Court pulled up the territorial government. A bench of Justices A.K. Chawla and Navin Chawla observed: "Who authorised the strike? You are sitting inside the LG's office. If it's a strike, it has to be outside the office. You cannot hold a strike inside someone's office or residence."

On June 11, after passing a resolution for statehood in the Assembly, the four Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders began a sit-in demanding that the LG end a "112 day long strike" by IAS officers, punish errant officers, and approve a scheme for the home delivery of subsidised rations.

The Delhi government has held that officers boycotting meetings and sticking only to written communication with ministers - following an assault of chief secretary Anshu Prakash by AAP legislators in February-amounted to a strike. The LG reiterated that Kejriwal had to first assure officers of their safety, and that the ration scheme was pending with AAP minister Imran Hussain and not the LG's office.

Two ministers, Satyendar Jain and Manish Sisodia, began a hunger strike.

After IAS officers held a press conference on Sunday, claiming they were feeling "threatened and intimidated," Kejriwal tweeted a statement calling the officers as "part of my family," assured them safety, security and appealed to them to return to meetings.

On Monday, the Association of IAS Officers tweeted: "The office of Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi welcomes Hon'ble CM Arvind Kejriwal's appeal. We are open to formal discussions with the Hon'ble CM on this matter."

Sisodia then wrote to LG Anil Baijal, asking him to chair a meeting between ministers and IAS officers as both "security" and "services" are powers reserved by the LG.