VISAKHAPATNAM: Protesting changes of two polling stations, around 1,500 tribal electors boycotted voting; locals of three villages in the Agency also kept away from elections fearing Maoists’ warnings. Though the ITDA authorities had arranged eight vehicles to ferry villagers to the newly-shifted polling stations, the voters rejected the invitation and submitted a memorandum demanding setting up of booths at old locations.

Meanwhile, Maoists blocked roads by chopping trees and set up banners protesting elections, further discouraging tribal voters to skip the election. Bungaput and Kosam Puttu villages in Munchangi Puttu mandal have 1,060 electors, who in earlier elections, exercised their franchise in their villages. Polling booths, earlier set up in these villages, were moved to Machhepuram. As such, the voters refused to travel an extra 15-18 km.

“In 2014, we voted in the village and there was no violence. We don’t understand why the polling stations are moved. Villagers have unanimously agreed to oppose the change of polling stations and strongly demand the restoration of the two polling booths in our villages by Thursday. Or else, we won’t participate in the elections,” locals had stated in a memorandum to the election officials.

On Thursday, polling staff waited till 4 pm for the electors. As no one turned up to exercise their franchise, the empty EVMs were removed from the Machhepuram polling station. Meanwhile, around 500 voters of Busiput, Sariyapalli and Kenduguda villages of Pedabayalu mandal also boycotted the polling as their polling station was shifted to Maddulabanda village. This was despite SP Babujee Attada conducting an aerial survey on Thursday.