Villagers boycott polls in Bettiah

BAGAHA/KHAGARIA: Voters of booth number 131 and 132 of Gonauli panchayat and 274 (ka) and 275 of Karmawa Bharawalia panchayat in

Bettiah assembly segment

boycotted the polls to protest the lack of development in their area. They were demanding road and bridge over Chandrawat river. Polling was disrupted for an hour at booth no 251 of Syampur Kotaraha panchayat in Nautan segment, when enraged voters smashed the EVM after police reportedly thrashed a particular party worker, who was issuing slips with serial numbers to the voters.

DM-cum-district returning officer of West Champaran, Kundan Kumar, and his wife cast their votes at the Govt Primary School booth in Bettiah. By and large polling was peaceful in Chanpatia,

Bettiah

and Nautan assembly segments.

Elaborate security arrangements were made in

Khagaria

. Mounted military police personnel patrolled the riverine areas, including the Maoist-prone areas in Alouli (SC) constituency. The paramilitary forces and the district armed police personnel encouraged the voters to queue up while maintaining social distancing. Thermal screening, sanitisers, gloves and bins for throwing used gloves were arranged at the polling booths.

“Covid-19

pandemic

has failed to dampen the voting spirit of youngsters,” said Navin Kumar, a young advocate at booth number 66 in

Sanhauli village

adjacent to Khagaria town. Poll boycott owing to some local issues, however, were reported from a few places.

“No untoward incident, however, was reported from anywhere,” said Khagaria DM-cum-election officer Alok Ranjan Ghosh. The overall poll percentage in Alouli (SC) and Beldaur was 52.90% and 50.34%, respectively, as voting in the two constituencies ended at 4pm, sources said.