© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
Tags:
Journalism of Courage
Since 2007, a special polling station has been set up in Banej, tucked deep in the forests of Gir, for just one voter – Mahant Haridasji Udasin. He is a priest at a Shiva temple located in the area. A booth is set up in the forest office near the temple. A dedicated polling team is appointed to set up the booth and make necessary arrangements for the lone voter to exercise his right.
With Lok Sabha elections set to be conducted in 26 constituencies of Gujarat in a single phase on May 7, special polling stations in remote areas are in focus yet again. Forests, isolated islands, or areas lacking proper transport facilities — such special polling stations will be set up in 11 locations across the state. The details were revealed in an official release issued by the office of the Chief Electoral Office (CEO) on Sunday.
In view of its resolution of ‘Every Vote Counts’, the Election Commission has also been making efforts to ensure the voting rights for natives in Saap Nes Billia, a small nes in Gir forest. A special polling station will be set up in a tent for just 42 voters, as per the release from the CEO’s office. A nes is a small neighbourhood in a remote area with no other human habitation nearby.
Polling stations have also been set up for the Siddis, descendants of East Africans who came to India between the 14th and 17th centuries, in the Talala area of Gir Somnath district. There are over 3,500 such voters in the area, as per the official data.
Sialbet is a small island in the Arabian Sea, situated on the eastern side off the coast of Amreli district with a geographical area of 75.32 hectares. It has about 832 homes. Most of the residents belong to the fishing community. The island has no connection with the mainland except by the sea route.
A polling team consisting of about 50 personnel– including assistant zonal officers, security personnel, polling staff, and booth-level officers — travels to the island by boat and sets up polling booths during each election for over 5,000 voters of the island. Five polling stations have been set up in Sialbet following the guidelines of the Election Commission.
Aliabet is another island located remotely in Bhadbhut Barrage, which falls under Wagra Taluka of Bharuch district, with over 200 voters. For the assembly elections in 2022 in the state, the district administration took the initiative to arrange a shipping container at Aliabet and provided all the Assured Minimum Facilities (AMF) in this container and a polling station was set up. Similar arrangements have been made this time and voters will be able to cast their votes closer to their home instead of traveling long distance, said officials.
For about 40 voters in Ajad Island, a tent will be set up about 10 km away in Devbhumi Dwarka. Other special polling booths set up by the EC are in Dediapada in Narmada district with dense forests and tribal population, restricted forest areas of Porbandar district, and Kileswar Nes in Devbhoomi Dwarka and Kankai polling station in a deep forest area for a total of 121 voters are registered in this constituency.
