HYDERABAD : Tribals residing in Arla panchayat of Rolugunta mandal in Anakapalle district staged a protest on Saturday, demanding the authorities to establish a polling station in their panchayat for the upcoming elections. Additionally, the women of the community also conducted a ‘doli yatra’, urging the district and Election Commission officials to address their concerns.
The residents of six hilltop villages and another two villages in Arla panchayat are forced to trek approximately 15 km to reach the nearest polling station in Sarabhavaram to cast their votes.
The villages, including Neellabanda, Pedagaruvu, Kotha Losingi, Patha Losingi, Aarla, Pitrigedda, Gurralabailu, and Gadabapalem, have historically faced challenges in exercising their Right to Vote.
Despite the formation of Arla panchayat in 2020 and the subsequent conduct of new panchayat elections within its boundaries, the issue of polling stations still persists.
Tribal women expressed disappointment upon discovering that their names were listed under Sarabhavaram panchayat for the upcoming elections instead of Arla.
“Promises made by local MLAs to provide necessary road infrastructure to connect our remote villages are yet to be fulfilled. While Arla panchayat boasts of essential facilities such as a school building, asphalt roads, access to fresh water, and network connectivity, the lack of a polling station directly impacts the voting rights of the tribal population,” they lamented.
Voicing their grievances, tribal women, including Pangi Shanti and Kilo Rukma, along with members of the CPM district working committee K Govinda Rao, have urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to promptly address their concerns by establishing a polling booth in Arla panchayat.