Three Lok Sabha constituencies of the Santhal Pargana region in Jharkhand on Saturday witnessed protests and poll boycotts over local issues.
None of the 396 eligible voters in the tribal-dominated Bagdubi village under the Dumka Lok Sabha seat cast their votes till 5pm (the official time of closing of polls in rural areas) to protest against a coal dumping yard. Only four women including booth level officers (BLOs), anganwadi sevikas and sahiyas cast their votes at Bagdubi Madhya Vidyalaya.
The villagers had previously apprised the administration about their grievances against the coal dumping yard near their village. They claimed that their children and pets were facing health risks because of the pollution caused by the coal dust. They had sought a written assurance and since they were yet to get it, they decided against voting.
Dumka Lok Sabha seat's returning officer Anjaneyulu Dodde confirmed the vote boycott at Bagdubi village.
In the Rajmahal Lok Sabha seat, it was only after the written assurance of BDO Vikash Kumar about roads being constructed within three months that the villagers agreed to cast their votes.
There were also reports of protests in a polling booth at Devipur in Deoghar under the Godda Lok Sabha seat but the voting took place after intervention from the local administration.
