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INDIA bloc parties hold 12-hour bandh in Odisha over mining law and other issues

Several cities · pinned on Bhubaneswar, India · Oct 8, 2026

Is it still on?

NOIt was a one-day action on Oct 8.

Last report · checked

The Tea in three lines

Why they are protesting
Protesters are demonstrating against the new mining law, textbook errors, and alleged irregularities in electoral rolls.
What they want
They demand a rollback of the MMDR Amendment Act, the resignation of a state minister and the Chief Election Commissioner, and electoral protections.
What changed
Oct 8, 2026: INDIA bloc supporters enforced a statewide 12-hour bandh, disrupting transport, businesses, and educational institutes.
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Both sides

What protesters want

  • Repeal the new mining law
  • Resignation of State Minister Nityananda Gond over textbook errors
  • Resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over vote theft allegations

Organised by: Congress, CPI, CPI(M), CPI(ML) Liberation, Forward Bloc, NCP (Sharad Pawar)

What authorities say

According to sources, a senior police officer stated that adequate security arrangements were made across the state to avoid untoward incidents, while the Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Police Commissioner noted that around 150 officers were deployed to maintain law and order and protect essential services.23

The full story

Supporters of the Congress-led INDIA bloc observed a 12-hour statewide bandh across Odisha, affecting normal life in Bhubaneswar and several other districts. Protesters blocked roads and national highways, picketed at major junctions, burnt tyres, and disrupted public transport including buses, taxis, and autorickshaws. Essential services such as hospitals, ambulances, fire services, medicine shops, and milk supply were exempted from the shutdown. The demonstrations were organized by various opposition parties to protest against the MMDR Amendment Act, alleged errors in school textbooks, and electoral roll discrepancies. Police deployed security personnel across the state to maintain law and order and keep key transport routes open.

Timeline

  1. INDIA bloc parties began observing a 12-hour statewide bandh starting at 6 a.m., disrupting transport and closing businesses.123

  2. Odisha Congress president Bhakta Charan Das appealed to the public to support the bandh to protect constitutional and land rights.3

Pins sit on city centres, never on gathering points

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Wrapped up

INDIA bloc protests in Bihar against CEC Gyanesh Kumar

Patna, India · since Oct 7

Opposition parties alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, including the deletion of genuine voters.

  • elections
  • governance
  • anti-government

6 sources · 95% sure ·