A total of 40,000 Class-C staff of lower courts in Maharashtra resorted to indefinite strike from Tuesday, abstaining from work to demand better salaries and administrative changes.

Judicial work in the courts was affected as peons and policemen were seen assisting judges in the absence of clerks, typists, interpreters and and other Class-C staff.

The peons, however, wore black badges to support the striking staff.

The office of Maharashtra Judicial Employees Union said a total of 40,000 class 'C' employees had gone on strike to press for their demands.

Last year, the supreme court had directed the state to follow the suggestions made by the Shetty Commission, which called for changes in the promotion and salary policy for judicial employees.

"We will continue the strike till the recommendations are implemented," said an office bearer.

The trial in case of encounter specialist Pradeep Sharma, however, went on with the judge himself typing the evidence. Sharma is charged with staging a fake encounter of Ram Narain Gupta alias Lakhan Bhaiya.

In the courts of magistrates, the cases were conducted with the help of policemen. In Mazgaon court here, ATS remand courts functioned with the help of peons and police.