DEHRADUN: During the first phase of the 18th Lok Sabha general election commencing on April 11, five Lok Sabha constituencies in Uttarakhand will also participate in the electoral process. Throughout this election period, democracy will showcase numerous distinctive instances of its beauty and resilience in this young Himalayan state.
According to the election commission, Uttarakhand has 83,37,914 registered voters who will cast their votes at 11,729 polling stations. Of these voters, there are 43,17,579 males, 40,20,038 females, and 297 third-gender individuals. Additionally, there are 93,187 service voters in the state, including 90,554 males and 2,633 females.
Interestingly, there is a polling station in the state with just four registered voters. Adhering to stringent electoral guidelines and regulations set forth by the election commission, a specialized team of polling personnel, comprising a total of six individuals, including security personnel, will be stationed at this unique polling location to ensure a seamless voting process for these four citizens. Similarly, there are 10 registered voters in Dhikala in Kotdwar, 48 in Pathoi village in Tehri and 60 in Pujara village of Yamunotri.
Speaking to The New Indian Express, Uttarakhand's Chief Electoral Officer, BVRC Purushottam, said, "On Tuesday, twelve polling teams were dispatched to polling stations, three days ahead of the scheduled voting day. Out of these, eleven polling stations were identified in Uttarkashi district and one in Pithoragarh district", adding, he said, "Additionally, 705 polling teams are scheduled to depart on Wednesday. In contrast, a total of 11,712 polling teams will be deployed the day before voting takes place".
Dr Purshottam said, "The Pauri district has the highest number of polling parties, with 181 teams departing two days before the elections, followed by Almora district with 136 parties."
CEO Dr Purushottam highlighted the challenging geographical terrain of Uttarakhand, noting that the Government Higher Secondary School Dumak stands out as a unique polling station in the Badrinath assembly constituency. Accessing this polling site entails a 55 km road journey from Gopeshwar, followed by a strenuous 20 km trek on foot through rugged terrain.
According to the State Election Commission, "It usually takes two days for the polling parties to reach here. Additionally, Government Primary School Kanar which serves as another polling station in Dharchula assembly constituency, requires polling parties to trek 18 km through rough terrains and difficult trails".
In the face of challenging geographical circumstances, the Government Primary School Dangutha has been designated as a polling station under the Chakrata assembly constituency, located 255 km from the district headquarters. Additionally, the Osla booth in Uttarkashi is situated 200 km away from the district headquarters, requiring polling teams to traverse a 14 km journey on foot to access the site.