3 Kinnaur panchayats boycott Mandi bypoll

Shimla, October 30

The gram panchayats of Rarang, Jangi and Akpa in Kinnaur district today boycotted the Mandi Lok Sabha byelection in protest against the proposed 860 MW Jangi Thopan hydroelectric project in the area.

The local deity had also given a decree for the poll boycott, and as a result almost 3,000 voters in the three panchayats did not exercise their right to franchise. Only four votes were cast at the Aryan polling booth outside these villages. The Youth Club of Kanam panchayat in Kinnaur, too, boycotted the byelection.

There are 1,080 voters in Rarang panchayat, over 500 in Jangi and 298 in Akpa panchayat. The polling booths set up in these panchayats wore a deserted look throughout the day with no person turning up to cast vote. The villagers did not accede to the request of officials trying to persuade them to exercise their right to vote. — TNS