Chhattisgarh: Poll booth shifted last minute, 800 voters inconvenienced

RAIPUR: A last-minute shift of polling booth 12 kilometres away deprived nearly 800 voters of four villagers from casting their voter in Kanker constituency. Election officials said that the booth at Amapani village, identified as a hypersensitive zone, was shifted to Thema village as there were inputs of a possible Maoist attack.

Locals, however, counter the claim, saying that there has not been any attack or Maoist movement since 2008. As many as 800 voters waiting for the polling parties to arrive inside temporary tents on a sunny Monday morning, later collectively decided to boycott the polls — when they were told that the booth has been shifted to another village.

An elder of the village, Umal Singh Sori said, "When Amapani was designated as polling booth, the electoral officers informed few of us on Sunday late night that the booth was being shifted and the commission would arrange for vehicles for the voters. We refused saying that if the commission ensures that we won’t be attacked or victimized by the Maoists, only then we could go with them in vehicles."

He added, "While most of the villagers were still clueless about shifting of booth, everyone gathered at the designated booth leaving all their work. Moreover, walking several kilometres now isn’t possible."

Lalita Sori, a resident of Amapani village said that she had been waiting from 7 am till noon at the designated spot. "We did not receive any information about the change in polling booth, we were told the booth will be at Amapani village. Now, we have collectively decided to boycott the polls." She added that it was wrong to take such a decision at such short notice.

In the Maoist affected areas of tribal Bastar region, there are many places where voters have to talk several kilometres to reach polling booth or to travel in hired vehicles, boats to exercise their franchise.

Chief electoral officer Subrat Sahoo said the shift was due to a Maoist threat, "The information about the shift in polling station was given to all political parties and the people of Amapani and dependent hamlets about a month ago," he said adding that a similar arrangement was made during 2013 elections as well.

He claimed that the villagers had boycotted polling protesting against shifting of polling station.