 "400 Dumka villagers boycott voting over coal dumping yard construction")
Over 400 people in a village in Dumka district boycotted voting in the seventh and final phase of the Lok Sabha polls on Saturday to protest against the construction of a coal dumping yard, an official said.
A total of 426 voters did not exercise their franchise at booth number 94 in Bagdubhi village, a part of the Dumka Lok Sabha constituency, he said.
Out of 430 voters enrolled in the booth, only four electors have exercised their franchise till 3 pm, Dumka Circle Officer Amar Kumar told PTI.
He said the villagers have been protesting against the construction of the Railways' coal dumping yard.
Sub-divisional Officer Ajay Kumar held a meeting with the villagers and assured them of raising the issue with higher authorities. However, they did not agree to vote.
A representative of the village, Lakshman Soren, told PTI, We made it clear that if the SDO gives us an assurance in writing to stop the construction of the yard, we will go to cast our votes. But, we were not given any such assurance.
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A voter turnout of 60.14 per cent was recorded till 3 pm in three Lok Sabha constituencies in Jharkhand, where voting is underway in the final phase of polling on Saturday, officials said.
Around 53.23 lakh voters are eligible to cast their votes in Dumka, Rajmahal and Godda, where polling began at 7 am and will continue till 5 pm.