Residents of Kangri village in Ward-1 of Ree gram panchayat under the Sujanpur Assembly constituency boycotted the panchayat elections on Thursday in protest against alleged administrative neglect and failure to address their long-pending demands.
Out of 273 registered voters, only five exercised their franchise at the polling booth. For the first three hours of polling, not a single vote was cast, reflecting the villagers’ strong resentment against the administration and the government. The polling station wore a deserted look throughout the day, with even election agents remaining absent.
The villagers said they had already informed the Deputy Commissioner about their decision to boycott the elections. Their primary demand is the detachment of Kangri ward from the Ree panchayat and its merger with the Khyah-Lohakhariyan panchayat or alternatively the formation of a separate independent panchayat.
Residents alleged that reaching the Ree panchayat headquarters involves travelling nearly 25 km, including crossing streams and walking around 5 km on foot, causing immense hardship, especially during emergencies and adverse weather conditions.
Villagers further claimed that basic amenities such as roads, electricity and drinking water remain in poor condition and that no elected representative or political party has seriously addressed their concerns over the years. They said the entire village had unanimously decided to stay away from voting as a mark of protest.
The villagers warned that if their demands continue to be ignored, they would also boycott future Assembly and Lok Sabha elections. Sher Singh, Panchayat Inspector, confirmed that only five voters cast their votes at the Kangri polling booth.
