Pondy: Near-total bandh on SC stay on OBC quota

Puducherry, Mar 31: The bandh call given by the constituents of the Democratic Progressive Alliance (DPA) here to protest the Supreme Court interim order staying the Center's notification providing 27.5 per cent reservation for OBCs in the Centrally-run higher educational institutions, has been near-total since this morning.

All the shops and business establishments remained closed. The buses, taxis and passanger tempos were off the road and the train services suspended. However, a few autorickshaws were seen plying.

All schools and other educational institutions remained closed.

Though, the 'five-day week' is being practiced in Puducherry, the administration had declared today a working day for all its offices in view of the annual closing. The government offices and the textile mills are functioning but with less attendance.

Police pickets were posted in all vulnerable points. However, the security mesures are not as high as on other bandh days.

UNI