Himachal Pradesh: Polling Officials Face 15 km Treks In Rugged Terrains

Holding elections in Himachal Pradesh, the mountainous terrains with diverse geographical conditions, weather hostilities and logistically tricky landscapes, is not only challenging but also physically demanding.

Yet, as Himachal Pradesh goes to the polls on Saturday—the final and last phase of the 18^th general elections in the country, with six simultaneous bypolls, the polling officials on Friday-Saturday trekked 12 to 15 km on foot to reach the assigned polling stations.

The toughest and logistically challenging Mandi parliamentary constituency — spread across districts like Lahaul-Spiti, Kinnaur and Bharmour in the state’s high altitude tribal region, and farthest valleys of Anni, Karsog, Seraj and Drang in districts of Kullu and Mandi, beside Rampur (the areas of pandra-beesh), —is not only different because of long distances but also has fluctuating weather, and mountain peaks.

Deputy Commissioner Mandi Apoorv Devgan – who is returning officer for the constituency, said the iconic Tashigang at a height of 15,256 feet from the sea level is the world's highest polling station in the Spiti valley, where it was snowing only some days back.

Yet, a total of 52 voters, including 22 women voters, had a record of sorts for 100 polling, a unique case study for the country’s electoral democracy.

Initially, the local population had threatened to boycott the poll to press for their demand, especially the employment issues, but all have agreed to maintain their previous record of 100 per cent polling.

Tashigang is a village near an ancient monastery located near the India-Tibet border. Below Tashigang flows the Sutlej river, which originates from Mansarovar Lake in Tibet.

The village is located 21 km from Kaza and also connected by motorable road, besides having an ancient monastery.

The Election Commission will set up the model polling booth with a selfie point with the Himalayas in the background, apart from a glacier landscape.

“I am standing in Tashigang today, the snow has melted and the weather is highly pleasant rather cool with temperature between 8 to 9 degree C as on Saturday.There is a forecast of bright sun on polling day ” said Ajay Banyal, assistant District Public Relations Officer, Kaza.

The longest distance travelled by the polling parties on Friday was in Chamba. In Mehla block of the district, the polling party walked around 15 kilometres to reach their destination for ‘Aehlami’ polling booth, where there are only 183 registered voters. 

At Sundernagar, in Mandi district, the polling parties travelled 7 km for 97 voters.

In Kullu district, also part of Mandi parliamentary constituency, the polling parties trekked 14 km through Great National Himalayan Park(GNHP)---a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The park has rivulets, dense forest patches, mountains and small arduous tracks.

The park is also popular for globally threatened species, including the musk deer and the western horned Tragopan. There are only 99 votes at polling station called “shakati”

In Shimla district, the polling parties travelled 12 km to reach a polling station named “Pandaar” in Dodra-Kawar, a backward sub-division.

Sunil Bhardwaj, an officer in the Technical Education department told Outlook “ we started around 3.45 pm for the polling station with two porters carrying EVMs, on foot and reached Dodra-Kawar around 7.45 pm. All of us, 11 in number, trekked to the destination comfortably. We knew the topography well. It was raining at that time.”

Apart from this the polling parties moved 13 kilometres on foot for Chakki polling Station in Bhattiyat assembly segment, falling under Kangra Parliamentary constituency. 

On Saturday, the EVMs were airlifted for the Bara Bengal area of Kangra district. Also, the EVMs were manually transported to polling booths engaging porters.

A spokesperson of the State Election Department informed a total of 6,589 polling parties here had moved towards their destination on Thursday.

Of these, 1617 polling parties moved in Kangra, 1196 in district Mandi, 967 in district Shimla and 624 polling parties in Chamba district have departed towards their polling stations. Apart from this 582 polling parties in Solan, 571 in district Kullu, 409 in Bilaspur and 403 polling parties in Sirmour have headed toward their place of duty amidst security.

In district Lahaul and Spiti a total of 92 and in Kinnaur all 128 polling parties have left for their destination respectively.