Puducherry washermen threaten to boycott 2026 Polls over reservation and housing demands

In Puducherry, members of the washermen community have warned of a possible boycott of the upcoming 2026 elections if their long-pending demands are not addressed by the government.

Members of the Puducherry Regional Rajakulathor Welfare Association staged a protest near the District Collector’s office, attempting to submit their voter ID cards and Aadhaar cards to the authorities as a mark of dissent. Police stopped the protesters near the Collectorate when they tried to hand over the documents.

The protesters, many of whom belong to the washermen community traditionally identified as Vannar, are demanding that the caste name “Vannar” be officially changed to “Rajakulam.” They are also seeking a 5% internal reservation within the Most Backward Classes (MBC) category, along with free house-site pattas and multi-storey housing for washermen families.

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Around 50 community members gathered for the protest, holding their identity cards and raising slogans against the government for failing to address their concerns. The demonstrators also called for legal protection for members of their community.

Protest leaders said that several petitions outlining these demands had previously been submitted to the Chief Minister, the Lieutenant Governor and the district collector, but no action had been taken so far.

Expressing frustration over the lack of response, the protesters warned that if the government continues to ignore their demands, washermen families across Puducherry will boycott future elections. They also announced plans to hoist black flags outside their homes from the day the election date is announced as a symbol of protest.