DEHRADUN: Voting for 100 municipal bodies in Uttarakhand kicked off on Thursday morning, with a voter turnout of 22.6 per cent reported by noon. Despite clear skies, the first two hours saw a modest turnout of only 11 per cent. Polling started at 8 am and will continue until 5 pm.The voting process encountered several challenges. In one area, voters staged a boycott, while four polling stations faced chaos due to discrepancies in the electoral rolls, preventing many individuals from locating their names.Notably, former Chief Minister Harish Rawat was among those unable to cast his vote, as his name was missing from the voter list. Former CM Rawat told TNIE, “The BJP is leading the charge in removing names from the electoral rolls, and they have become quite skilled at it. However, these actions will not undermine the integrity of democracy or the will of the voters.”According to information received by TNIE from its sources, residents in Kesharwala, Dehradun, staged a boycott of the voting process. At the Government Inter College Kesharwala, only one vote has been cast so far.A team from the administration is on its way to the location, in Kesharwala.Villagers had previously announced their decision to boycott the elections in protest of their demand for better road infrastructure.Tensions have escalated among voters in the Badkot Municipal Council of Uttarkashi.Chaos erupted at the polling booth located in the Industrial Training Institute, where several voters were reportedly being denied the right to vote despite their names appearing on the electoral rolls. BJP candidate Atol Rawat stated, “Only those whose Aadhaar card is registered under the Badkot Municipal area have the right to vote.” This stance has faced strong opposition from other candidates.Independent MLA Sanjay Dobhal emphasised, “Voter names should be on the electoral list, and voters must possess valid identification. They should be citizens of India; they have the right to vote.” The Returning Officer added, “It is the presiding officer who has the authority to determine who can vote and who cannot.”
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