Himachal Pradesh election 2022: 83 year old woman walks 14 km in snow to cast vote in Chamba

Himachal Pradesh assembly election 2022: 83-year-old Dolma, cast her vote at Chasak Bhatori polling station in Pangi area of Chamba district after covering a distance of 14 kms by walking on the snow-bound road.

Shimla: Electors in Himachal Pradesh are enthusiastically participating in the festival of democracy by casting their votes in the state Assembly elections on Saturday. Aged voters are also not lagging behind in exercising their right to franchise. Though the Election Commission of India (ECI) provided a voluntary facility to 80 plus aged electors to vote through ballot papers at their homes, yet several aged persons did not opt for that facility and preferred to cast their votes through the electronic voting machine (EVM) at their respective polling station today. An 83-year-old woman, Dolma, cast her vote at Chasak Bhatori polling station in Pangi area of Chamba district after covering a distance of 14 kilometers by walking on the snow-bound road. Falling under Bharmour assembly segment, Chasak Bhatori polling station is the farthest polling station from nearest road head located at 14 kilometers. Voters are seen walking on the snow-bound road in Chamba`s Pangi area to reach Chasak Bhatori polling station. 

In the same way, a 103-year-old man Pyar Singh also exercised his right to franchise with his family members. A 90-year-old Narjam Mani and her 87-year-old husband Bheesham Dass cast their votes at polling station set up at Kalpa government primary school in Kinnaur.

Electors were also casting their votes with full zeal at the world`s highest polling station at Tashigang, which falls under the Lahaul-Spiti assembly segment. Tashigang is located at an altitude of 15,256 feet above the sea level. In the ongoing election, 105-year-old Daliya Ram of Bagetu village cast his vote at Basha polling station in Solan assembly Constituency.

Similarly, a 105-year-old woman Naro Devi cast her vote at Ladhan polling station falling under the Churah assembly constituency in Himachal Pradesh`s Chamba district on Saturday.Voting for the 68-member assembly seats began in Himachal Pradesh today at 8 am which will continue till 5 pm.

Himachal Pradesh assembly deputy speaker Hans Raj is retrying his luck from Churah, whereas Congress fielded Yashwant Singh from here. NK Jaryal of AAP is also in the fray from this seat.Churah constituency is reserved for Scheduled castes candidates. The constituency came into existence in 2008 following the delimitation of the Legislative Assembly constituencies.

This seat was a strong hold of Congress until BJP leader Hans Raj breached its vote bank in 2012. He is an MLA from Churah since 2012. A total of 412 candidates including 24 women contestants are in the fray for the 68-Assembly seats.The counting of votes in Himachal Pradesh will take place with Gujarat on December 8.

In the last assembly elections in 2017, BJP had won 44 seats whereas Congress had to satisfy with 21 seat. Two independent candidates and one CPM candidate also emerged victorious at that time.