Villagers of L.N.D. Peta and Paidipakala boycotted the ZPTC and MPTC elections on Thursday, urging the officials fulfil their demand first.
Elsewhere in the Agency area in West Godavari district, polling was conducted peacefully.
At L.N.D. Peta, the villagers stayed away from the process demanding that their habitation be declared as a non-Agency area. The villagers had boycotted the recent gram panchayat elections as well.
“The villagers of L.N.D. Peta have not been participating in the gram panchayat elections for the last few years,” said R.V. Suryanarayana, K.R. Puram ITDA Project Officer.
“About 300 families are residing in L.N.D. Peta, and most of them are non-tribal. A hamlet can be considered non-Agency area only through a Constitution amendment. They have been boycotting the elections despite being explained the procedure involved,” he said.
Only three tribal families affected by the Polavaram project are staying at Paidipakala. They have been seeking new R&R package in spite of receiving the old one.
About 70% voting was registered in the Polavaram, Buttaigudem, Kukunur, Velerupadu and Jeelugumilli mandals. The overall polling percentage in the Agency areas of the district was about 65, said Mr. Suryanarayana.
“The elections have been conducted peacefully. We have shifted the ballot boxes to the strongrooms arranged at Jangareddygudem,” he said.
