Polling for the Anta Assembly by-election in Rajasthan is currently underway, but one village in Baran district has made headlines for staying away from the process altogether. Residents of Sakli village have boycotted the election, citing years of government neglect and a lack of basic civic facilities.
According to officials, all 736 registered voters in Sakli have abstained from casting their ballots, standing firm on their earlier pledge to boycott the polls. The villagers said their decision stemmed from frustration over the absence of a proper road, a cremation ground, and other essential infrastructure.
“The condition of roads in our village is deplorable. There’s no proper route to reach anywhere,” said Sonu, a local resident, speaking to ANI. Another villager, Vinod Meena, added that the situation had worsened over the years. “There’s no road leading to the cremation ground or the fields. We have just one pathway for the entire village,” he said.
The bypoll in Anta was necessitated after BJP legislator Kanwar Lal Meena was disqualified following his conviction in a 2005 case.
Meanwhile, voting is also taking place across eight assembly seats spread over six states and one Union Territory. In Jammu and Kashmir, Nagrota reported a voter turnout of 34.47 per cent, while Budgam recorded 21.74 per cent till noon on Tuesday.
The Election Commission said polling has so far remained peaceful across all constituencies, with security forces deployed to ensure smooth conduct of the by-elections.
