Locals want their right to vote to be restored

Secunderabad: In reaction to the board ‘Tresspassers will be prosecuted’ placed at Saibaba huts of Ward 7 by the Local Military Authority, 550 persons assembled and spent the whole night on Saturday in a show of solidarity. For the past few weeks, the residents have been getting together, cooking food and spending the night to draw the attention of the ‘powers that be’ on social issues and have termed their novel protest ‘Basti Nidra’.

Krishank Manne, official spokesperson, Congress Party said that a writ petition was filed in the High Court and hoped that the voting rights of the residents would be restored. It may be noted that the Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB) under whose jurisdiction the Saibaba huts comes issued a notice based on the Supreme Court order that those who encroached on central government lands would be losing their voting rights. Ever since, the residents are up in arms and state that they have been living in the same place for over 40 years and that they would be losing their homes and livelihood. In all, 28123 voters of all wards may lose their voting rights.