Only 23 cast vote at Kinnaur polling booth

SHIMLA: Angered and embittered over the delay in the relief and restoration work being carried out by the state government, only 23 people exercised their franchise at Shalkhar polling booth in the rain-ravaged tribal district of Kinnaur on Saturday.

The polling booth at Shalkhar located between Chango and Sumdo in Pooh sub-division has 312 voters, including 157 males and 155 females.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday had ordered re-polling at Shalkhar polling booth in the Kinnaur assembly segment for the Mandi parliamentary bypoll due to protest by the villagers against the delayed rescue and relief operations.

The voters of Shalkhar village in Pooh block had boycotted the election on Thursday, alleging indifference of the government in airlifting patients who needed immediate medical attention.

RESIDENTS HAD BOYCOTTED MANDI LOK SABHA BYPOLL EARLIER IN PROTEST OVER DELAYED RESCUE IN RAIN-HIT DISTRICT

The bitterness among the inhabitants against the state government brewed up owing to the failure in evacuating the patients during the disaster management process, even as tourists and locals were airlifted.

The district ravaged by rain and snow had been cut off from the rest of the world due to landslides at numerous places, which has affected road connectivity on the HindustanTibet road and other link roads.

The devastation had affected the scheduled byelection of the Mandi Parliamentary constituency process on June 23 in the Kinnaur assembly segment after which it was deferred.