More than 10,000 residents of high-rises in New Town on Kolkata's northern fringes, who live in panchayat area, have decided not to vote in the July 8 elections in West Bengal.
New Town Forum chairman Samaresh Das said there are around 16,000 voters spread across several panchayats and that a majority of them are unwilling to exercise their franchise as they "do not wish to be labelled as villagers".
"We have already collected signatures of 12,000 voters who have decided not to exercise their franchise besides demanding that the township be taken out of the jurisdiction of panchayats," Das said.
Das said the forum has been campaigning in favour of a poll boycott and started putting up banners and hoardings across the township asking residents not to vote.
Though the township is in panchayat areas, all civic services are provided by the New Town Kolkata Development Authority (NKDA).
"Though we pay higher civic taxes than people staying in Kolkata Municipal Corporation areas, yet th
