IMPHAL, September 13: Even though the overall poll percentage witnessed today was high at more than 80 percent voter turnout, five polling stations within Khundrakpam assembly constituency recorded nil.
A team of mediapersons went to Makeng Dolaithabi Gram Panchayat today to record the voting in the said area.
On the route from Khundrakpam and along the Saikhul road, voting for the said panchayat was conducted.
The voting booth was located at Naina Kala Memorial School, Hangoipat. Despite a sizeable team of security and polling personnel present, no voters turned up to exercise their rights.
The mentioned polling includes Makeng Ngurlrou Awang Leikai, Mayai Leikai, Makha Leikai and Makeng Dolaithabi each having voter strength of 198, 179, 499 and 183 respectively.
Polling personnel at the area mentioned that all preparations have been underway since 7 am today for the voting, yet there has been no turnout of voters including inner agents.
The same predicament was also witnessed at Matakhong area commonly known as T Gamnom village which is located about 5 km from Hangoipat.
The village is located at the tri-junction of Senapati, Khundrakpam and Sadar Hills area jurisdiction and is inaccessible by motor transport as the connecting bridge is presently under construction.
The Matakhong UJB School polling station has a total of 231 voters of the said area.
It may be mentioned that another two villages in the area have recorded nil turnout.
There are about 1700 Nepali voters for the Makeng Dolaithabi Gram Panchayat and not even a single vote was registered today.
The security personnel deployed at the station also left ahead of time at the obvious lack of voters.
According to Chief of Gamnom village, Jaothang there are hardly 6/7 Nepali families residing at the area. He mentioned that contrary to the number of voters given in the electoral roll, there are hardly any Nepali voters left at the area as many families have migrated to Kanglatongbi, Siliguri or Nepal. The actual count of resident Nepalis is only a fraction from that mentioned in the electoral roll, he said.
It may be mentioned that the absence of voters was following a demand for the absorption of the Kuki inhabited area under the Autonomous District Council administration and to Saikhul assembly constituency. A meeting was held Saikhul bazaar on September 11 and attended by Saikhul MLA, Yamthong Haokip and other Gorkha associations. The meeting had resolved that the Nepalis of the area will not tender their voted as a mark of protest and for their demand to be under the purview of Sadar Hills administration.
3 candidates are contesting for Pradhan and 4 candidates for the Zilla Parishad of the Gram Panchayat.