Ganjam SC/ST groups fume on rural poll role

Berhampur: Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities in Ganjam district have expressed discontent over their non-inclusion in reserved category in at least three of 69 zilla parishad zones in the last five panchayat elections.
Though they have a sizeable population in zone no. 11 in Khallikote and zone no. 60 and 62 in Sanakhemundi blocks, no reservation was made for them in the panchayat elections since 1997.
Their representation in these three zones in the zilla parishad appears to be a distant dream as the zones are not reserved for them to contest in the upcoming panchayat elections, said a Dalit leader.
“These communities have been deprived of representation in the apex panchayat body for the past 25 years from these three zones. During this period, all other communities, including women, were elected from other zones, except these three. We urge the government to reconsider the reservation status of these three zones and give an opportunity to the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities to contest in the coming panchayat elections,” he added.
While zone no. 11 of the zilla parishad was made un-reserved, no. 60 and 62 were reserved for women in the draft reservation policy.
The tribal leaders said no post of sarpanch and block chairperson has been reserved for their community in most of the districts.
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