Video: Officials Brave Harsh Terrain To Reach Polling Stations In Northeast

Guwahati:

In the rugged and remote landscapes of India’s northeast, preparations for the world’s biggest elections are underway, navigating through daunting terrains and weather conditions. With poll officials trekking for hours to reach distant polling stations, the logistical challenges for the Election Commission of India (ECI) in the region stand out.

In Arunachal Pradesh, a staggering 11,130 polling officials have been mobilised for the task, alongside the deployment of 6,874 Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) for the simultaneous Lok Sabha and state assembly elections. The Union Home Ministry has allocated 80 companies, comprising 7,500 personnel of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), to maintain law and order during the electoral process.

To ensure the integrity of the voting equipment, special measures have been implemented. Poll officials are equipped with distinctive waterproof bags, each assigned a specific colour, along with rain jackets. This precautionary step aims to prevent any confusion or damage to the EVMs, particularly in the event of heavy rainfall.

Videos on social media show election officials braving dangerous landscapes, as part of their preparations for the elections. 

One such video from Payum Circle of Arunachal Pradesh’s Siang district shows election officials navigating perilous routes to reach polling stations. In the video, officials can be seen trekking a mountain, latching on to branches. Similarly, a viral clip captures poll personnel braving rugged terrain en route to the Hakumati polling station in Nagaland’s Kiphire.

Up for all odds !!!P-2 Polling Personnel triumphantly surges through challenging terrains enroute to Hakumati polling station, Kiphire.#ECI#Elections2024#IVote4Sure#ChunavKaParv#deshkagarv#loksabhaelection2024@ECISVEEP@dipr_nagaland@MyGovNagalandpic.twitter.com/1H41NbrmaS

— Chief Electoral Officer, Nagaland (@ceonagaland) April 17, 2024

Several batches of election officials, including police personnel, have been airlifted to these distant locations. Notably, many of these polling stations are situated along the border with China.

Pawan Kumar Sain, the Chief Electoral Officer of Arunachal Pradesh, appreciated the proactive approach taken to address these challenges.

“We have made some special arrangements. 228 polling stations can only be reached by foot. When we learned about the weather alerts for polling day, we proactively relocated the parties and designed special waterproof bags in two different colours to prevent the EVMs from getting mixed up,” Mr Sain said. 

From the jagged mountains of Ladakh to the snow-capped peaks of Himachal Pradesh, from setting up polling stations in makeshift tents to erecting booths in hamlets housing solitary voters – months of work goes into the planning of conducting polls in remote areas. 

The 2024 Lok Sabha elections will be conducted in seven phases, starting on April 19 and concluding on June 1. Each phase will cover different constituencies across various states and Union territories. The results of the election will be announced on June 4.

The first phase of polling includes states such as Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Jammu and Kashmir, Lakshadweep, and Puducherry.