Villagers in Kailashahar Call for Poll Boycott Over Ward Categorization

Agartala, Jun 17, 2024, By Our Correspondent

Agartala: June 17: Residents of Ward No. 1 in Gaurnagar Gram Panchayat, Kailashahar, have voiced their intention to boycott the upcoming Tristar Panchayat elections. The decision comes after a public meeting where villagers expressed dissatisfaction with the categorization of their ward.

According to local reports, Ward No. 1, which has a total of 417 voters, including seven Scheduled Caste and six Scheduled Tribe voters, has historically been classified under the general category due to insufficient numbers of SC/ST voters as per the Tripura Panchayat Act. However, a recent notice by the Unkoti District Magistrate has reserved Ward No. 1 for Scheduled Tribes.

This announcement has led to widespread discontent among the voters of Ward No. 1, prompting them to submit a written application to the District Magistrate and Sub-Divisional Magistrate requesting re-categorization. Despite this, no action has been taken by the administration even after fifteen days.

A meeting held at Kirtantholi Junior Basic School saw attendance from most voters of Ward No. 1 and representatives from local political parties including BJP, Congress, CPI(M), and Trinamool Congress. The consensus was to boycott the polls if Ward No. 1 is not reclassified as general category before the Gram Panchayat elections. The villagers plan to submit a second written notice to the district authorities stating their position.