DEHRADUN: Out of the total of 11,647 booths in 70 assembly constituencies in Uttarakhand, polling parties will have to walk distances ranging from 1-20 km to reach 7,143 booths.
More than 81.72 lakh voters will exercise their franchise to decide the fate of the total of 632 candidates for the 70-member legislative assembly on February 14.
Sowjanya, Chief Electoral Officer, Uttarakhand, said, "Polling officers and parties are working round the clock to make every necessary arrangement to ensure smooth voting at all the booths. We are also keeping a tab on the weather conditions to decide according to the weather report."
As many as 766 polling booths have been identified as prone to snowfall making the task of the polling parties difficult.
A combination of tough terrains compounded by rough weather will pose challenges to voter turnout and may lead to a lower voting percentage.
At least nine booths will require polling parties to travel on foot between 15-20 km, five booths will take 14-15 km of walk, three will require 13-14 km of travel on foot, three will take 12-13kms of walk.
Further, to reach five booths, the polling parties will have to walk between 11-12 km, eight booths will take 10-11 km of travel on foot, 22 booths will require 9-10 km of walk, 12 will take 8-9 km, 51 will take 7-8kms of walk.
To reach 38 booths, 6-7kms travel on foot will be needed, 106 will take 5-6 km walk, 195 will take 4-5 km of walk, 290 will take 3-4 km of walk, 508 will need 2-3kms walk while 845 booths will require 1-2kms of travel on foot by polling parties to reach and conduct polling.
The highest distance the polling parties need to cover a booth is at Dumak in the Badrinath assembly constituency.
The state office of the Election Commission of India has already identified one booth in every assembly constituency across Uttarakhand which witnessed the least polling in 2017 state polls. The officials told The New Indian Express that a special awareness campaign and drive is planned in all these booths to step up the percentage in these booths.
In 2017, the least voting percentage was recorded at 1.35% in the Kaunta booth in the Bhimtal constituency in the Nainital district followed by 1.94% in the Quarijimia booth in the Dharchula constituency in Pithoragarh district and 7.77% Pastorawar booth in Ranikhet assembly in Almora district.
The maximum polling percentage was recorded at 99.21% in the Halwa Kheri booth in Piran Kaliyar state assembly constituency in the Haridwar district followed by the Zabardastpur booth in the Khanpur assembly in Haridwar district with 97% and 96.25% in Barnali booth in Purola constituency in Uttarkashi district. Almora, Tehri, and Pauri recorded the least polling percentage with 52.81%, 54.95%, and 55.40%. The average polling percentage of the hill state stood at 65.56% in 2017.
Tough terrain, unwillingness to participate in polls, migration are the main reasons behind the less polling in these booths, said a source.
Election commission officials also added that the panel has already formed a social media cell to monitor the activities of political parties and their poll expenses.