CEC walks to remotest polling station of Uttarakhand

According to the CEC, the polling station of Dumak village witnessed a voter turnout of 80% in the State assembly polls

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar on Friday visited Dumak, the remotest polling station in Uttarakhand located in Chamoli district.

Accompanied by Uttarakhand’s Chief Electoral officer Soujanya and other officials, the CEC travelled on foot to Dumak village and shared with election staff the problems faced by officers in a remote polling station like Dumak during election time.  The CEC also held a meeting with the villagers.

“After taking over as the Chief Election Commissioner, I am starting my work from this remote polling station in the State. Such remote polling stations, in many parts of the country. Through this yatra, along with encouraging the officers working in these remote polling stations, we will try to reduce the difficulties faced by the officers during polling in such centres,” he said.

Citing the example of Dumak village, the CEC said that the polling station of this village witnessed a voter turnout of 80% in the State assembly polls in which there was tremendous participation of elderly voters as well as physically challenged voters and women. This happens very rarely in urban and well-to-do areas, he said.       

After landing at Pipalkoti on the Badrinath National Highway by helicopter, the Chief Election Commissioner first went by road to Kimana village from where he reached Dumak village on foot.

In both the villages, the Chief Election Commissioner and the Chief Electoral Officer of the State were accorded a warm welcome by the villagers.