15 crore workers of 10 unions went on strike.

Majority of nationalised banks employees and more than half of private bank staff have joined the nation-wide strike against the proposed amendments to various labour legislations today.

Live updates

Puducherry:

-Around 1,000 persons were arrested and taken into custody by police personnel.

-Most of traders, shop keepers and commercial establishments downed the shutters in spite of the call given by the traders’ federation against the closure of shops. Several banks and schools and educational institutions in the city remained closed.More...

West Bengal:

-Clashes between supporters of Left parties and ruling Trinamool Congress activists marred the all-India general strike called by the trade unions here on Wednesday, which affected normal life in West Bengal.

-Train services, both on the Eastern Railway and the South Eastern Railway, were hit.

-Violence erupted in several parts as supporters of Left parties, and Trinamool Congress clashed. More...

Bengaluru:

- Services at Majestic set to resume by 4 pm. Buses have started leaving for the airport from Majestic.

- Around 15 Volvo buses and BMTC buses were damaged in stone pelting incidents in and around the city following which bus services have been completely withdrawn.

- Incidents of stone pelting reported on Mysore Road.

- Bus stands in Majestic satellite and Shanti Nagar wear a deserted look.

- Patient inflow in hospitals very low. The resident doctors' strike has crippled health services in BMCRI-affiliated hospitals, reports Afshan Yasmeen.

- Protestors have heated arguments with police in K.R. Puram. Protesters shout slogans, hurl abuses at moving vehicles and ask them to support the bandh.

- No buses have left from Majestic bus depot. Services are expected to resume by 3 p.m. More

Chennai:

- The crew of Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) will be supporting the strike, but government sources say regular services will not be affected. Trains will run as usual and schools will remain open.

- C.H. Venkatachalam, general secretary of All India Bank Employees’ Association (AIBEA), says nearly 15,000 employees of various banks in the city will join the strike. More..

Delhi:

- A large number of autos and taxis remain off the roads.

- Bandh remains largely peaceful, there are reports of auto-drivers groups vandalising auto-rickshaws plying on the streets despite call for strike. Many commuters also complain of the auto-rickshaws charging double then the usual fare from them.More..

Normal life partially affected in West Bengal

- Train services of South Eastern railway were normal although Eastern railway officials said suburban services in the Sealdah south section were hit for sometime in the morning due to blockade at some places.

- Shops, markets and business establishments in most areas remain closed.

Strike cripples life in Kerala

- The nation-wide 24-hour strike called by major Central trade unions, barring BMS, is total in Kerala.

- All operations at the Cochin Port were also hit. Most of the IT firms in Technopark and Infopark reported very thin attendance.

- All examinations that were to be held on Wednesday have been postponed by the various state universities.

- The strike has hit the functioning of educational institutions, banks, government offices, industrial and commercial establishments, including software technology parks, and hit road traffic across the State. More..

Stir cripples financial services in Prakasam

- Employees from public sector banks and insurance companies abstained from work to press their 10-point charter of demands including ending disinvestment in public sector units.

- The strike also affected civic services as municipal workers abstained from .More..

Top Developments:

1	13 lakh employees from the public, private and foreign banks are joining the nationwide strike called by trade unions to protest the “anti-labour” policies of the Narendra Modi government.
2	“Around 13 lakh employees and officers from 25 public sector banks, 11 private sector banks and nine foreign banks will be on strike tomorrow,” All-India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA) said.
3	Besides these banks, employees from 56 regional rural banks, 650 cooperative banks, the Reserve Bank, Nabard and Sidbi will also be on strike.
4	In all, 14 unions representing bank employees and officers will be supporting the day-long stir called by 10 Central trade unions.
5	Bank unions are also protesting against the government’s plan to revamp the working of the public sector banks. “We will fight against the government’s backdoor attempts to hand over public sector to corporates,” they said.
6	The trade unions have given the strike call over a 12-point charter of demands, including withdrawal of the proposed “anti-worker” amendments in labour laws and stopping the disinvestment and privatisation of PSUs.
7	10 Central unions claim to have a combined membership of 15 crore workers
8	Several outfits representing informal sector workers have also supported the shutdown.
9	Union Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya, however, said in New Delhi that he expects the impact to be minimal. “I don’t think essential services will be affected by the strike. I feel that the impact will not be much.”
10	Union leaders, however, said the strike will affect the functioning of essential services like banking, transport and supply of power, gas and oil.