"No road, no vote": Villagers boycott Panchayat polls in Hailakandi over lack of roads & services
The locals said that they will boycott elections for as many years necessary, until the government constructs proper roads
Hailakandi, May 3: A large number of voters boycotted the panchayat elections in two polling stations in Hailakandi district on Friday, citing long-standing government apathy toward the region's basic infrastructure.
No voter turnout was recorded in 55 number Banglabasa LP School and 56 number Kukicherra Government Junior Basic School polling station, both under the Baruncherra - Kukicherra - Dhalcherra zilla parishad seat.
According to the villagers, the boycott was a protest against the failure of successive governments to provide essential services as roads, basic medical facilities, and educational institutions.
“We have been voting since Independence, yet our demands remain unfulfilled. Neither has the government given us roads nor have we received water connections. Schools and hospitals too remain out of reach,” said an elderly resident.
Highlighting the dire lack of roads and medical facilities, one resident said, “We do not have any health care centres. We have to travel long distances during medical emergencies, often on poor roads. The lack of medical facility and poor roads have led to deaths too, and several pregnant women have delivered babies on road on their way to the hospital.”
He also noted that while few schools exist, most are far away and lack regular teachers.
“Many of us are uneducated because schools are 15 km away; and while we have schools here, teachers don't show up,” he said.
The villagers expressed their ire by their slogan “No road, no vote,” and said they have voted for both Congress or BJP over the years, but none have addressed their concerns.
The villagers have vowed to continue boycotting polls until their demands are not met.
“We will be boycotting pools for even 10, 15, 20 years if needed, until we get proper roads,” one villager said.
Earlier, a similar protest was reported from Jorhat’s Mariani in April. Residents there also threatened to boycott the May 2 Panchayat elections over issues like road connectivity and water supply. in April on similar grounds
Residents warned that they will extend the boycott to 2026 Legislative Assembly elections if their representatives fail to provide concrete assurances before the upcoming polls.