Hyderabad, Telangana — A significant number of power sector employees from Backward Classes (BC) and Other Castes (OC) staged a massive protest at Vidyut Soudha on Wednesday, demanding the Telangana government address long-standing issues related to promotions. The protest was organized by the Telangana Electricity Backward Classes and Other Castes Employees Joint Action Committee (JAC), which warned of a potential strike if their demands are not met.
The demonstration, termed as the “Maha Dharna,” saw employees urging Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, and Energy Secretary Ronald Rose to intervene and resolve the issues affecting BC and OC employees in the state’s power sector. The JAC emphasized that their patience was wearing thin and that they would not hesitate to initiate a strike if the government fails to act.
One of the primary demands of the JAC is an inquiry by a sitting Judge of the High Court into the recent ad hoc and conditional promotions granted by the Telangana Power Utilities. The JAC accused the management of bypassing proper procedures by granting these promotions without first reviewing previously granted promotions. The committee is also pushing for the government to establish clear guidelines for determining Inter-Se-Seniority, ensuring that promotions to higher cadres are based on the merit, rank, and marks obtained by employees during the selection process.
The JAC has also called on the power utilities management to publish final seniority lists for employees across various cadres, from Junior Line Men to Chief Engineers, within the TG TRANSCO, GENCO, SPDCL, and NPDCL. The absence of updated seniority lists has created confusion and discontent among employees, who feel their career progression is being unjustly delayed.
JAC Chairman K Kumar Swamy, speaking at the protest, highlighted the frustration of BC and OC employees who have been waiting for promotions for over two years. Despite repeated appeals, the management has taken no substantial action to address their concerns. “Even though the power utilities management and the State government were asked to do speedy justice to more than 35,000 BC and OC employees working in power companies, justice was not done,” Swamy said. He added that even after the JAC announced the Maha Dharna, the management proceeded to promote approximately 3,830 employees under new conditions, further aggravating the situation.
The JAC’s demands are clear: the resolution of promotion-related issues and the establishment of fair and transparent processes for all employees. With tensions escalating, the threat of a strike looms large, potentially impacting the state’s power sector if the government fails to respond promptly to the employees’ grievances.
