Religious: around 1,000 voters from four Panchayats in Kandhamal Regency district, Wednesday boycotted the election of Pancir.
Voters three wards (1.10 and 11) in the Jiridikia Panchayat, one ward in Bandaguda (12), Sinepada (12) and Lingingia (12) did not use their franchise in the first phase of the poll, when they demand their village to be moved on The closest Panchayats.
The Jiridikai resident said their village is located 8 km-15 km from Pancrayat Baru.
The villagers also accused of no road from UPAR Kangeria, Tala Kangeria and Mahalimunda to Jiridikai and they have faced a lot of trouble while reaching the Pancrayat office.
The villagers also boycotted the last Pancrayat election in 2017 and the 2019 State Assembly and selection of Lok Sabha.
Previously, they had submitted a memorandum to the district collector, urging the government to stop the poll process because the problem was waiting in the High Court.
“We demanded the Pancantan office to be established both in Magadingia or Bandadagda for our convenience,” Shankar Pradhan said, a local resident.
“After we attract the attention of the district administration to our difficulties, district collectors ordered pensions and rations to be disbursed from Bandaguda,” said Sanichar Pradhan, another village resident.
Similar, Selector Ward no.
12 In Sinepada, 12 in Layangia and 5 in Bandaguda also demanded their village to be combined with Panchayats nearby.
“We have notified the district administration about our complaints.
Because the demands have not been met, we decided to boycott the poll,” said Ratnakan Kanhar, a resident of Sinepada.