Cachar’s Khasi villagers threaten to boycott polls over delimitation

Silchar: Residents of Lakhicherra Khasi Punjee, situated within the Katigorah assembly constituency of Cachar district, have declared their intention to boycott the forthcoming panchayat elections. This action is in protest against the division of their ward during the recent delimitation process.
Nestled at the base of the Barail hills, this village is predominantly inhabited by the Khasi ethnic community.
"For over eighty years, around 150 families in this village have coexisted within a single panchayat ward, allowing us to elect a representative from our community to advocate for our interests. However, the recent delimitation has fragmented the 500 voters from these 150 families into two separate wards. Consequently, we, the Khasi villagers, find ourselves deprived of the ability to contest in the upcoming panchayat elections," an elderly villager said.
While protesting the imposed decision, the villagers cautioned that their boycott would extend beyond the panchayat elections, continuing till the next assembly and Lok Sabha elections.
The villagers added that their community, with a populace of approximately 500, was previously part of Ward no. 9 of the Mahadevpur gram panchayat. However, the recent delimitation has partitioned the village, dispersing its members into wards 6 and 7 under the Gumra gram panchayat, thus rendering them a minority in both wards. As a result, the Khasi people of Lakhicherra Khasi Punjee find themselves bereft of a guaranteed representative from their ethnic group.
Cachar district goes to panchayat polls on May 2 in the first phase.