At world’s highest booth, 21% fall in turnout since 2022 poll

Abhinav Vashisht

Kullu, June 1

Tashigang in the Spiti valley, the highest polling station in the world located at an altitude of 15,256 ft, recorded 79.03 per cent turnout in the Lok Sabha election and Assembly bypoll today, compared to record 100 per cent polling in the past elections in 2019 and 2022.

Tashigang falls under the Mandi parliamentary constituency and Lahaul & Spiti Assembly segment.

Though Kaza subdivision recorded an increase of 4 per cent turnout compared to the 2022 Assembly elections, 13 voters out of 62 in Tashigang did not participate in the electoral process this time. The 13 dailywage workers boycotted the polls as they were awaiting regularisation of their jobs. The matter is sub judice after their services were terminated by the PWD authorities in April.

The Spiti valley having 8,514 voters recorded 81.98 per cent polling. In Kaza subdivision, the highest polling percentage of 90.53 per cent was recorded in Mudh polling station, while the lowest turnout of 69.95 per cent was seen in Kee polling station.

Kaza ADC Rahul Jain said there was a 4 per cent increase in the turnout compared to the last Assembly election in which 77.91 per cent voting was recorded in the Spiti valley. “The people of Spiti have shown a lot of enthusiasm in the elections this time. All the polling parties with EVMs have left from their respective polling stations for the strongroom set up in Kaza,” he added.

The byelection for the Lahaul-Spiti Assembly constituency witnessed a turnout of 75.09 per cent compared to 74.22 per cent in the 2022 Assembly poll. The constituency is the smallest in the state in terms of voters. It has 25,273 voters as women (12,668) outnumber men (12,605). A total of 18,977 voters, including 9,804 women, exercised their franchise today. In the Lahaul and Udaipur subdivisions, 11,997 voters of the total 16,759, cast their vote, keeping the polling percentage of the valley at 71.58 per cent, which is less than the 2022 poll.

The fate of all the three candidates from the Lahaul valley – Congress rebel and BJP’s candidate Ravi Thakur of Gemur village, Congress’ Anuradha Rana, a resident of Rangcha village, and Independent Ram Lal Markanda, a BJP rebel, belonging to Udaipur village, has been sealed and will be out on June 4.