The Untold Story of the Chormara Village Election (Bihar)

In Chormara, a remote tribal village in Bihar's Jamui district, a polling station has been established for the first time—78 years after India's independence and following decades of Naxal-affected history—allowing local residents to cast their votes in the upcoming elections. Previously, people in the area had to trek for miles to vote, but the fear of violence has now dissipated following the establishment of security force camps. However, despite this positive shift, the village suffers from a severe lack of basic amenities such as paved roads, electricity, potable water, and higher education facilities; children there can only study up to the fifth grade. Additionally, issues related to Aadhaar cards hinder access to government welfare schemes, and the lack of local employment forces most men to migrate elsewhere for work. Ultimately, the report indicates that while the polling station has brought the festival of democracy to the village, the government and elected representatives have yet to deliver tangible development to the area.

The Untold Story of the Chormara Village Election (Bihar) 

The main reasons for establishing a polling station in Chormara village, Jamui district, Bihar, are as follows:

• Village becoming Naxal-free: The area had long been affected by Naxalism, preventing the establishment of a polling station for nearly 25 years. The setting up of a CRPF camp in the village eliminated Naxal influence and freed the area from fear.

• Relief from long-distance travel: Previously, villagers had to travel 25 to 60 kilometers (e.g., to Barhat) to vote, often involving an arduous day-long journey on foot. This station was established to provide voting facilities locally.

• Facilitating democratic rights: Despite security challenges, villagers used to travel far to vote, demonstrating their faith in democracy. The administration set up this polling station to provide them with the right and convenience to cast their votes easily within their own village. The lives of women in Chormara village are extremely difficult, deprived, and full of struggle. Due to a lack of basic amenities and challenging geographical terrain, they face numerous hurdles in their daily lives:

• Kutcha houses and the impact of weather: Women live in mud houses. During the rainy season, leaking roofs cause stored rations (rice, lentils, spices) to get wet and spoil, damaging the home. After the rains, the women must repair the house by re-plastering it with mud.

• Cooking struggles: Due to the lack of a regular LPG supply and the high cost of cylinders, women still cook using firewood on traditional mud stoves.

• Lack of electricity and water: With no electricity connection in the village, women and their families are forced to live in darkness at night.

• Lack of healthcare services: Due to the absence of paved roads and health centers, if a family member falls ill, the patient must be carried on a khatia (traditional cot) for several kilometers to reach a hospital.

• Economic hardship and migration: With no local employment opportunities, the sons or husbands of most women are forced to migrate to cities like Delhi or Mumbai for wage labor. To sustain themselves and their children, women gather leaves from the forest to sell in the market. Additionally, women who cook mid-day meals in schools receive a very meager honorarium (approximately ₹1,500–₹1,600 or ₹3,300).

• Unwavering faith in democracy: Despite such government neglect and hardships, the women remain aware of their democratic rights. Even when there was no polling booth in the village, they would trek on foot through hills and forests to cast their votes at distant centers (such as Barhat).