Bihar village boycotts polls citing lack of development as reason

The residents of Chiriyawa boycotted voting on Sunday as a mark of protest against the lack of development in the village.

The one common complaint of the people was the absence of roads in the village. "We are boycotting the polls because our village doesn't have roads or drinking water," said Shashi Bhushan Singh, a resident.

"We have been running from pillar to post for the last 10 years but in vain. We have not been able to get the no objection certificate (NOC) for this. The government has taken no action on our requests," he added.

"For want of the road, we face many problems. It is too difficult to take patients to hospitals during the rainy season. Many officials deny coming to this village. 'No road, no vote' is our stand. Leaders come here and promise us services but they never deliver," he said.

"There are people from the village who are in the armed forces from our village. We will not vote unless there is a road in the village," said Ranjay Kumar Singh, another resident of the village.

Yogeshwar Yadav, the presiding officer at booth number 236, said that a polling agent had come and mock voting took place. "But, eventually, there was no voting in the village," he said.

This village has around 1,200 voters and a population of 2,000.

Sunday marks the end of seven-phased polling in the country. The counting of votes will take place on May 23.