Lack of polling booth makes tribals threaten poll boycott

Mysuru: The tribal community of Channagundi Hadi (colony) in Saraguru taluk, Mysore district, has issued a stern warning, declaring their intention to boycott the upcoming Lok Sabha elections if a polling booth is not established in their village.

Expressing their frustration, community members stated, "We have always voted in our own village and have no intention of traveling to another city to exercise our democratic right." The community has emphasized their resolve to boycott the Chamarajanagar Lok Sabha constituency election scheduled for April 26 unless their demand for a polling booth is met.

Highlighting the historical context, a community elder said, "We have been voting in Channagundi Hadi since the time of our grandfather, However, the polling station was recently relocated to the neighboring village of Aralahalli." The decision to move the polling station has posed significant challenges for the residents of Channagundi Hadi, particularly for the elderly, disabled, pregnant women, and others who find it difficult to travel the approximately 5 kilometers to Aralahalli to cast their votes.

Recounting their previous experience during the last assembly election, a community member shared, "We had to travel to Aralahalli to cast our votes, but no transportation facilities were provided. Despite our appeals to the officials, our concerns were ignored." Furthermore, community leaders claimed that promises were made by officials during the last assembly election to establish a polling booth in Channagundi Hadi for the subsequent Lok Sabha elections. However, this promise remains unfulfilled, leading to disillusionment among the residents.

Adding to their grievances, there are allegations of irregularities in the voter list, with deceased individuals reportedly listed as alive and living community members allegedly removed from the voter rolls. In light of these issues, the tribal community of Channagundi Hadi has urged the election authorities to address their concerns promptly and ensure the establishment of a polling booth in their village, failing which they will proceed with their boycott of the Lok Sabha elections.