NHRC's swift intervention ensures voting by eight SCs in Odisha today (17.4.2014)
PRESS RELEASE
New Delhi, 17th April, 2014
The National Human Rights Commission, in a swift move, ensured that the Government of Odisha provided police protection to eight voters belonging to three Scheduled Caste families of rescued bonded laboureres, to cast their vote at village Birakesharipur, PS Gadishangooda, District Puri today, the 17th April, 2014. They were ousted from their village and were living elsewhere on footpaths while fighting for their right to live in their village.
The Commission registered the case on a complaint received yesterday on the 16th April, 2014 that one Maguni Sethi and two other bonded labour families were ousted from their house since long. They wanted to exercise their right to vote but were not feeling safe to go to the electoral booth in the village.
The Commission took up the matter expeditiously with the Special Secretary (Home) and Superintendent of Police, Puri to ensure that they got police protection to cast their vote. The complainant, Shri Baghambar Pattnaik, also a Member of the NHRC's Core Group of NGOs, has confirmed that the labourers had cast their vote in police protection.
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New Delhi, 17th April, 2014
The National Human Rights Commission, in a swift move, ensured that the Government of Odisha provided police protection to eight voters belonging to three Scheduled Caste families of rescued bonded laboureres, to cast their vote at village Birakesharipur, PS Gadishangooda, District Puri today, the 17th April, 2014. They were ousted from their village and were living elsewhere on footpaths while fighting for their right to live in their village.
The Commission registered the case on a complaint received yesterday on the 16th April, 2014 that one Maguni Sethi and two other bonded labour families were ousted from their house since long. They wanted to exercise their right to vote but were not feeling safe to go to the electoral booth in the village.
The Commission took up the matter expeditiously with the Special Secretary (Home) and Superintendent of Police, Puri to ensure that they got police protection to cast their vote. The complainant, Shri Baghambar Pattnaik, also a Member of the NHRC's Core Group of NGOs, has confirmed that the labourers had cast their vote in police protection.
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