Puducherry: Condemning the State Election Commission, Congress and its allies today called for a bandh here today.
Following the Madras High Court order to withdraw dates for local body election, new dates were announced a couple of days ago.
The Congress led opposition Secular Democratic Alliance (SDA) called for the bandh in the Union Territory to condemn the ‘bungling’ of the State Election commission in its civic poll notification, rescinding reservation for Backward Classes and Scheduled Tribes and demanded that the SEC be replaced.
An urgent meeting of the constituents of the SDA (Congress, DMK, VCK, Left parties and MDMK, among others) at the PCC office, chaired by PCC president A V Subramainan, passed resolutions, calling for the bandh today from 6 am to 6 pm.
Congress State president AV Subramanian, MLAs Vainthiyaathan of Congress, Anibal Kennedy and L Sambath of DMK, DMK presidium chairman S P Sivakumar and others were present in the meeting.
Speaking to reporters, Subramanian said, ‘The confusion regarding elections in Puducherry was created purposefully. Reservation for backward and tribal communities has been affected. Condemning the NDA government for the confusion and the State Election Commissioner for acting without consulting parties, we have decided to organise the bandh.’