Liquor ban: Mandawar panchayat to vote on January 20

UDAIPUR: After Kachhbali and Barjal, Mandawar is the third panchayat in Rajsamand district which will go to polls on liquor ban issue on January 20. Two thousand seven hundred fifteen voters are expected to exercise their franchise.
In March 2016, Kachhbali panchayat in Bhim tehsil had been the first one in the state to close down its liquor stall after 67% of voters voted in favour of the motion.However, at Barjal, in August 2017, the villagers failed to repeat Kachhbali victory and the motion for liquor ban in the panchayat failed by a margin of 129 votes. Taking a lesson from Barjal incident, now Mandawar residents are determined to get a clear majority for alcohol ban in the area.
"The residents have been agitating for the closure of the liquor stalls for over two years and had initiated the referendum procedure eight months ago. The physical verification of the voters too had been completed but the polling date had not been finalized and delayed since," Sarpanch Pyari Rawat claimed. However, now the authorities have announced the poll date and arrangements are being made to conduct the procedure at three polling centres in Atal Seva Kendras.
Meanwhile, volunteers and activists at Mandawar have already set off on a campaign to increase awareness to ensure majority in favour of the motion. Various teams of youth volunteers have been constituted that would go from door-to-door and specially teach women folk to recognize 'Yes' and 'No' letters in Hindi. The teams would carry specimen copies of the poll proforma so that illiterate women are able to cast their votes at the proper place. Mock votings too would be held so that voters do not get confused on the polling day, the Sarpanch said.