Telangana observes bandh on Oct 18 against High Court stay on 42% BC reservation; schools on Diwali break, govt offices open, transport on reduced schedule.
Telangana observed a statewide bandh on October 18, 2025 after the High Court put an interim stay on the state government’s order to grant 42% reservation to Backward Classes (BC) in local-body polls. The strike, called by the BC Joint Action Committee (BC JAC), won backing from the ruling Congress and was also supported by the BJP and BRS, turning the protest into a broad political demonstration over quota policy and local governance.
Practical impact on the ground was limited because most schools and colleges were already closed for Diwali holidays, but the bandh affected markets and mobility across cities. Government offices remained operational while public transport — including RTC buses — ran on a reduced schedule, prompting commuters to check timings in advance. Hospitals, emergency services and essential services continued to function, though shoppers in central Hyderabad reported many shops and markets closed for the day.
Telangana Director General of Police B. Shivadhar Reddy appealed for peaceful observance and warned of strict action against those who disrupted public order. State leaders framed the bandh as pressure on the judiciary’s interim order and urged sustained political mobilization: Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka said the state cabinet would discuss the quota issue on October 23 after receiving the Supreme Court’s judgment copy.
The bandh underscores how reservation policy and court interventions can trigger rapid political alliances and street mobilisation in regional politics. For residents and travellers, the key takeaways were: confirm transport timings, expect closed markets in central Hyderabad, and rely on hospitals and emergency services which remained available. Observers will watch the October 23 cabinet meeting and any legal avenues the state pursues to restore the 42% BC quota.
