More than 12,000,000 sugarcane cutters from Marathwada in the north Maharashtraand Vidarbha may miss the chance to vote in the upcoming state Assembly elections on November 20.
As the sugarcane crushing season is expected to begin on November 15, 2024, thousands of sugarcane cutters from various districts have already migrated to the sugarcane belts of western Maharashtra and many other states , according to the Maharashtra Sugarcane Cutters and Transport Association.
The association approached the Aurangabad High Court, seeking directions to the Election Commission to ensure that this large group of voters are not deprived of their right to exercise their franchise.
However, the West Indian Sugar Mills Association claimed that suitable arrangements would be made to send the workers to their hometowns to get their fingers tattooed on November 20, 2024.
12-15 lakh cutters migrate ahead of harvest season
In his petition, Jeevan Rathod, president of the Maharashtra Sugarcane Cutters and Transport Association, said 12-15 lakh cutters from Marathwada, north Maharashtra and Vidarbha were moving to sugarcane growing areas of the Western Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil. Nadu before the harvest season.
“With the current harvest season underway, a significant number of sugarcane cutters have already left their homes and migrated to other areas for work, and they will not return until April or May 2025,” said Rathod in his petition.
Talk to PTIRathod expressed concerns over large-scale migration.
“If such a large part of the population is absent from exercising their right to vote, it defeats the purpose of participatory democracy,” he said.
In Maharashtra’s fragmented political system, which has six key parties, the votes of these migrant workers are important as the margins of victory are expected to be slim, a political observer said.
Advocacy to request absentee ballots to vote or transportation to travel
In its plea, the association requested the court to direct the Election Commission to make appropriate arrangements, such as providing postal ballots or transportation, to enable migrant workers to reach their place of employment. origin to vote and return to their workplace.
They also urged the court to direct the state sugar commissioner to coordinate with the Maharashtra State Cooperative Sugar Factories Federation Limited, the West Indian Sugar Mills Association and all the sugar mills to declare a public holiday for these workers on the day of the election.
Among the major sugar producers in the country, Maharashtra has more than 200 private and cooperative sugar mills. The state produced around 110 lakh tonnes of sugar last year.
Sunil Rathod, the petitioner’s lawyer, said the court on Wednesday inquired about steps taken to facilitate voting for soldiers and government employees deployed in border areas, suggesting similar arrangements could be considered for workers sugarcane migrants.
“The court did not issue any instructions but merely inquired about the measures,” he said.
He said notices have been sent to the state government, sugar commissioner, Maharashtra State Cooperative Sugar Mills Federation and West Indian Sugar Mills Association.
BB Thombare, president of the West Indian Sugar Mills Association, insisted that the workers will not be disenfranchised and assured that suitable arrangements would be made for their transportation to their respective constituencies.
“Usually, the crushing season begins in the first week of November and if elections are near, we ensure that the sugarcane cutters visit their native places. On this day, operations in factories remain closed. This time too, the practice will be respected,” he said.
“Due to the parliamentary elections, the sugarcane crushing season begins on November 15 this year,” Thombare said.
After the court petition, the government proposed to the sugar commissioner to start the crushing season from November 25, he said.
“While there are around 5 lakh sugarcane cutters, the number of sugarcane farmers is around 50 lakh. If the crushing season is delayed, producers will suffer losses as yield declines. The next harvest will also be delayed if the sugarcane is not harvested on time,” he said.
Thomabre added that after a follow-up with the sugar commissioner, an order was issued on Thursday evening authorizing the crushing of sugarcane from November 15.
