Himachal Pradesh: Polling Parties to Face Challenges in Hilly Terrain During Elections

In the state of Himachal Pradesh, the Election Commission has announced the dates for the Lok Sabha elections. The hilly state is set to conduct voting on the 1st of June in the final 7th phase. Amidst the challenging mountainous conditions, the Election Commission has already begun preparations for the election process.

Over 50,000 officials have been deployed to facilitate voting across 7,990 polling booths in Himachal Pradesh. In the remote district of Chamba, there are two booths where polling parties will face the challenge of a 13-kilometer journey on foot to reach the booths. The booths located in the Aihalma and Chakki areas under the Bharmaur constituency require a 13-kilometer trek for the polling parties to reach, with just 183 and 135 voters respectively.

Furthermore, in the remote area of Bharmour under the Kangra district, polling parties may need to embark on a three-day trek through rugged terrain to reach the Pooh booth to enable voting for just 65 voters. Similarly, under the Fatehpur constituency, the polling booth situated near the Pong Dam requires the election staff to rely on boats to cover a distance of approximately 5.5 kilometers.

The Lahaul Spiti district hosts a unique polling center at an altitude of 15,256 feet, catering to only 52 voters, making it the highest polling center globally. Despite the challenges faced by polling parties in reaching these locations, the Election Commission is committed to conducting free and fair elections in Himachal Pradesh.

Chief Electoral Officer Manish Garg emphasized the importance of ensuring equal voting rights for every citizen in the state and affirmed the Election Commission’s dedication to upholding impartiality for a successful democratic process. The Election Commission remains optimistic that every voter in the grand festival of democracy will have an equal opportunity to cast their vote.