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Slum dwellers may lose voting rights in Sec’bad Cantt elections
A majority of the people living in slums and basthis of Secunderabad Cantonment, who form the most political lot and who actually go and cast their vote may not be able to vote in the Secunderabad Board elections. Reason: The Supreme Court directive to remove people living in encroached government lands in cantonments across the country.
Secunderabad: A majority of the people living in slums and basthis of Secunderabad Cantonment, who form the most political lot and who actually go and cast their vote may not be able to vote in the Secunderabad Board elections. Reason: The Supreme Court directive to remove people living in encroached government lands in cantonments across the country.
Several slums including 20 basthies in Rasoolpura ward 2, Ambedkar huts in Mudfort in ward 3, 108 bazaar in ward 5, Nandamoori Nagar in ward 6, Saibaba huts in ward 7 and Adarshnagar in ward 8 and few basthis in park lands may not be able to cast their vote. SCB officials say that they are just following the Supreme Court directive, while locals say that they have been living in these areas for decades and not allowing them to vote is a direct violation of their right to freedom.
There are close to 2 lakh voters in the Secunderabad Cantonment living in the eight wards. According to rough estimates, close to 30,000 people would not be able to vote. Krishank Manne, Congress leader alleged that the CEO of SCB is not in favour, since the issued cropped up no progressive step was taken up by SCB to challenge the court order. He reiterated that a survey was conducted in all the wards and would submit a petition in the High Court.
This is the first time in history of Secunderabad Cantonment that localities in almost eight wards have lost the right to vote. Venu Gopal, resident of Adarsh Nagar, lamented, “138 families and around 2,000 people in Adarshnagar alone stand to lose. We have been here for 20 to 30 years. We are almost dead in the eyes of the cantonment board and no elected representatives from board reach us to monitor our welfare and redress our issues. We consider this attitude of SCB not questioning the board is to just turn us away at once.”
BY Sushma Nagaraju
