2 teams begin 45-km trek through snow to wrap up Elections 09

Voting in the rest of the country,with 71.3 crore voters,divided into 8.34 lakh polling stations,was completed with the fifth phase today. Voting in the two Zanskar polling stations in the Ladkah Lok Sabha seat was scheduled for today but the Election Commission deferred it yesterday after IAF choppers,carrying poll personnel and EVMs,were unable to land there.

IAF choppers were to help us transport polling equipment and personnel in 97 polling stations identified throughout the state. In these two polling stations,however,it proved difficult for the choppers to land as they are located in a gorge. We had conducted a reccee earlier though, said Jammu and Kashmir Chief Electoral Officer B R Sharma.

Two polling teams will trek they began at 4 am today to reach the two polling stations before Friday.

After regular polling staffers said no to the arduous task,six porters were roped in for the exercise. The porters in the teams will be paid a one-time honorarium of Rs 5,000 each while government officials one presiding officer,one polling officer and one constable and one satellite phone operator in the two teams will get a months salary for the task.