PONDA: Of the 12 COVID positive voters, only two exercised their franchise under police protection in Usgao and Bandora respectively.
Ponda Returning Officer said 12 patients had expressed their willingness to cast their votes and PPE kits were provided. However, only two patients exercised their franchise. After learning that COVID positive patients would be casting their votes at a particular booth some people gathered along the roadside at Bandora.
However, police later dispersed them. Voting was held for COVID patients under police protection after 4.30 pm.
Meanwhile, the voters boycotted the election at Mapa-Panchawadi polling booth, as they claimed that the landowner has purchased the land where they worshipped the traditional deity in a small “ghumti”.
Besides this, the locals said they used to perform final rites in the crematorium at the same site. A businessman has constructed a compound wall and has blocked the locals from entering the plot where “ghumti” and crematorium are situated. The matter was brought to the notice of the police. However, the issue has not been solved and hence as mark of protest, the voters claimed that they have boycotted the election.
Some days ago, the locals had threatened to boycott the election if they failed to get justice.
