Erode villagers try to block NH over delimitation issue

The protesters from Ayyampalayam village took a march towards the National Highway to block the road. However, police stopped them from going ahead with the protest and held talks with them.

The villagers rued that of the total 371 voters in Ward 1 from Ayyampalayam, about 192 voters were shifted to Ward 4 during delimitation about nine years ago.

“So, the voters were forced to cast their votes in a booth located four km away in Thenkattupalayam area. Due to lack of proper transportation facilities to reach the distant booth, the elderly persons in our village couldn’t exercise their rights,” said S Arumugam, a villager.

Curiously, even members of a single family have their votes in different booths. “This is creating lot of confusion, while approaching the elected representatives with either issues or seeking development works. Half the street falls under one ward and the remaining in another ward. When there are two elected representatives for a single street, whom should we approach to sort out the issues?” he asked.

The residents sought to include all the voters in Ward 1 for their convenience.

Officials from the Revenue Department and the election office rushed to the spot and convinced the villagers of accepting their demands and assured that alternative arrangements would be made. Thereafter, the villagers withdrew their protest and left.