After 20-Year Boycott, This Assam Village Returns To Voting Booth

After a 20-year hiatus, the villagers of Bamunjhar village, situated within Assam’s Darrang-Udalguri Lok Sabha constituency, have finally participated in the voting process.

The polling, taking place at Bamunjhar Primary School, witnessed a significant turnout as villagers exercised their democratic rights during the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections.

Comprising 15 percent Boro and 85 percent non-Boro population, the village had refrained from voting in protest against its inclusion in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR).

With around 2000 inhabitants, Bamunjhar had abstained from participating in any electoral processes, including Assembly and council elections, for two decades.

Despite assurances from the Assam government regarding the exclusion of their village from the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), no action was taken, leading to the prolonged boycott.

This election marks the villagers' first participation since the formation of the BTR, signaling a significant shift in their stance.

Meanwhile, the voter turnout as of 9 am in Assam stood at 9.71 percent. The highest turnout was seen in Diphu where 14.13 per cent of polling has been done. On the other hand, the lowest turnout was witnessed in Silchar where 5.49 per cent of polling has been completed.

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