Election officials cross river on ropeway after walking for 10 kms to reach polling station in northern India
by Surya PrakashOfficials of the Election Commission of India (ECI) braved difficult circumstances in northern India’s Jammu and Kashmir in order to reach their polling booths and conduct the polls in the Lok Sabha elections.
This happened in Kishtwar district as they were headed to conduct the polls at Polling Station AYAR-41 in 50-Paddar/ Nagseni AC area on April 19.
Visuals showed the officials crossing over a river using a ropeway. The officials were seated on a carrier which was pulled from one side to the other with the help of a rope. Two officials were seated on the carrier at a great height and held it carefully as they were crossing the river below them. The men were successfully transported from one to the other and this was after they had walked for around 10 kilometres. This happened when there was rainfall in the area. This is not the first time that the officials responsible for conducting elections in India have pulled off such a feat. Election officials have scaled tough terrains and difficult paths in order to reach even the farthest of places so that the people across the length and breadth of India had an opportunity to cast their vote and choose their leaders.
However, the first phase of the general elections this year witnessed a low turnout and the ECI officials are concerned about this development. Out of 102 seats contested for in phase 1, there has been a voter turnout of only 65.5% which is lesser than what happened in 2019 (69.9%). The ECI officials have been conducting several awareness campaigns involving top celebrities in a bid to have the people cast their votes.