Mangaluru (TNN): The Bhoomalikara Horata Samiti NH 169, which has been demanding the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to expedite the land acquisition and disbursal of compensations, has decided to boycott the polls.

In a memorandum to deputy commissioner Ravi Kumar MR, the Samiti members have stated that land losers in 20 villages and their family members will not be participating in the May 10 polls. Samiti president Mariamma K Thomas said that the land acquisition process to widen the NH 169 in 20 villages of Karkala and Mangaluru taluks had begun seven years ago.

“We have been submitting memorandum to the special land acquisition officer of the NHAI regarding our grievances. The landowners demand the NHAI to disburse compensation for the land acquired for the NH 169 widening as per the high court direction. The high court has already passed a verdict in favour of the land losers from three villages, but no action has been taken by the authorities concerned yet. Hence, we have decided to boycott the assembly polls. The decision was taken in a meeting held on April 26,” she said. She added that people’s representatives of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts also failed to fulfil their promises.