Bajura, October 27

During the recently concluded civic polls, Bajhang District Election Officer Dhruba Kumar Bhandari had assured locals of Nyuna in Kanda Rural Municipality-5, Bajhang, that a voting centre would be set up in their village for upcoming polls. But, no voting centre has been set up at Nyuna yet.

Local Umesh Rokaya said they urged the election office in headquarters Chainpur to set up a voting centre in the village. “This time too, authorities at the election office ignored our request,” Rokaya added.

Nyuna has just 83 eligible voters. As always, they have an obligation to stay out for a night to cast their ballots. Nyuna’s voting centre has been allocated in Dhuli village. One has to walk more than six hours to reach Dhuli from Nyuna.

Due to a long walking distance, very few voters from Nyuna opt to cast votes. “We have to reach Dhuli either a day before the polls or stay in Dhuli on the day of polls,” said another local Umesh Bohora.

Nyuna’s female voters have even more difficulties reaching voting centre as they have to take care of their children, and do the household chores. Consequently, most of the females from the village hardly cast votes.

“It takes an entire day to reach the voting centre and come back home. There is no one who could look after the children and livestock in our absence,” Thimsi Bohora, a local, complained.

District Election Officer Bhandari expressed his inability to set up an extra voting centre at Nyuna for the want of infrastructure. As many as 125 voting centres have been set up for provincial and parliamentary polls in Bajhang district.