Polavaram project-affected voters boycott polls, seek autonomous panchayat

Residents of Koruturu Rehabilitation and Resettlement Colony staged a boycott of polling operations, refusing to participate in local panchayat elections on Wednesday. The action reflected escalating tensions between project-displaced villagers and the revenue administration over territorial jurisdiction following their relocation due to the Polavaram irrigation project.

The displaced population, numbering several hundred families, has objected to being administratively placed under P. Ankampalem panchayat since their resettlement. Colony residents contend that their unique status as project-affected persons warrants separate panchayat governance that would address their specific rehabilitation concerns and development needs.

Local authorities had not granted the boycotting voters a separate polling centre or administrative recognition prior to the election. This denial has compounded resentment among the resettled community, who argue that existing panchayat structures fail to represent their interests or respond to livelihood challenges stemming from displacement.

The Polavaram project, one of India's major multipurpose dams under construction in Andhra Pradesh, has necessitated the relocation of thousands of families across multiple districts. The R&R Colony represents one of several resettlement sites where former residents continue to seek adequate infrastructure, employment opportunities, and political representation within local governance frameworks.