Residents protest ‘unfair’ delimitation of panchayats

Rajouri, February 22

More than 200 residents of the Kotranka subdivision, including former sarpanches and panches, held a protest alleging that the Block Development Officer (BDO), Kotranka, had adopted pick-and-choose policy for delimitation of panchayats/wards for the forthcoming panchayat elections.

The protesters, led by Mohammed Ayub Khan, sarpanch of the Kandi panchayat, blocked the Rajouri-Budhal road at Kotranka for about two hours and alleged that political leaders from every party were not consulted by the BDO during the delimitation process.

“The BDO, Kotranka, adopted pick-and-choose policy on the behest of Peoples Democratic Party leaders while redrawing boundaries of various panchayats in the Kotranka block,” said Mirza Muneer, sarpanch, lower Kandi. The protesters urged the election authority to take every possible measure in ensuring the legality, transparency and fairness in the entire exercise to maintain the faith of general public. — OC