CANACONA
The government has taken serious note of the threat of a boycott by a section of voters in Poinguinim's ward 1 at the upcoming panchayat elections.
Canacona Mamlatdar and Returning Officer Manoj Korgaonkar met the electorate of Khalshi, Chiplem, Tirvonn, Badegal and Kharegal (KCTBK) and requested them not to miss their constitutional right to vote and instead vote in large numbers at the August 10 scheduled elections.
It may be recalled that KCTBK residents, alleging that they are being purposely denied their rights to contest elections by continuously reserving their ward to the ST category for the last three terms (including the current term) have declared they will not come out to vote on August 10 in protest.
Returning Officer, in his interaction with the voters at Chiplem ward, requested the locals not give away the right given by the constitution to vote, but exercise the right to vote responsibly.
The issues raised by the voters are literarily brought to the fore very late, even as voters once again reiterated that reserving their ward only for a single community' continuously for the last three terms has done a great injustice to other category voters of the ward.
Besides, the polling station of ward 1 is located at a distance of 16 kilometres to the residents of the ward, while the elected panch has never given any attention to developmental works in the regions.
No attention to resolving the frequent power failures, nor any efforts to attend to drinking water supply issues were highlighted by the residents to the visiting Returning Officer. However, after hearing the grievances, Mamlatdar Korgaonkar said it's too late now, and stated that proper attention could have been given if these problems were brought to his notice before the announcement of the elections.
"Panchayat and Assembly elections are different. Decisions on panchayat elections are taken by State authorities. Henceforth, please put this issue before the village gram sabha and at the same time show the anger through voting, but do not boycott the elections," pleaded the Returning Officer.
Incidentally, later Returning Officer Manoj Korgaonkar informed that he met and tried to convince each of the voters to come out and vote on August 10 and expressed hope that most of the electorate will come out to vote on the said day.
