As winter slowly turns bitter in Himachal Pradesh, polling stations faced the daunting task of reaching the furthest possible locations in the snow-capped regions of the state to ensure voters could participate in Saturday’s parliamentary elections.
However, polling station members came out with flying colors when they managed to set up the world’s tallest polling booth in the Tashigang village of Lahaul and Spiti, a place where the voting process seemed like one big democratic festival. The polling station, which was called the model polling booth, saw its staff dressed in traditional clothing.
Some of the booth’s specialties were self-help groups and food stalls selling traditional dishes set up by local officials. One feature that stood out about this voting booth was that it was set up at a height of 15,256 feet with sub-zero temperatures. “Sometimes people felt a drop of oxygen, so we made sure that the poll became a kind of party,” says polling officer Abhishek Verma.
Despite weather anomalies, a 100 percent poll was recorded with all 52 registered voters casting their vote. Voters enthusiastically exercised their right to vote. They came in traditional attire to cast their vote.
“I am a first-time voter and exercising my franchise right was an exciting thing for me,” said Tenzing Nordan, who had returned to her village from Shimla, where she is studying.
The same sentiments were shared by Tenzin Yogan, a voter who traveled back from Dharamsala to Tashigang village last week to cast his vote. “Although the journey has been tough, I made it to the village to cast my vote and I’m glad I voted in the highest polling booth in the world,” he said.
As the area is witnessing a decline in oxygen, special health centers were set up outside the stand. Arrangements were also made for temporary crèche for voters from distant villages.
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