4 Himachal panchayats boycott polls

Shimla: Four panchayats in the tribal
Kinnur district of Himachal Pradesh have boycotted polls after
people involved in encroachment cases were barred from
contesting elections.

As the last date for filling nominations for panchayat
polls expired yesterday, no one from Urni, Chawang, Yula and
Meeru panchayats came to file papers for contesting elections.

The villagers are protesting the High Court`s decision
to bar at least 6 lakh people, involved in 2 lakh cases
related to encroachment of government and forest land, from
contesting panchayat polls.

There are 1.67 lakh detected encroachment cases
involving 60,000 acres of government and 60,448 cases
involving 29,400 acres of forest area.

PTI