Page 266 - Leap of Faith Vol - 2

Leap of Faith Journey of Indian Elections

electoral roll. Out of them 1,22,093 were senior ci zens in
80+ category; 56,001 in PwD category; and 37 third
gender voters. A total of 7,881 polling sta ons were set up
for the elec ons, represen ng an increase of 4.73 percent
over previous assembly elec ons in 2017. Himachal
Pradesh, being one of the least urbanized states of India,
an overwhelming number of polling sta ons (7,235) were
in rural areas. Urban polling sta ons were only 646 in
number. Lahaul & Spi , the vastest district of the state, is
actually the least populated. It had only 24,777 enrolled
Shyam Saran Negi electors. As concise as its name Ka, a polling sta on in
Shyam Saran Negi (105), a resident of Kalpa, district Kinnaur district, had only 16 registered electors.
Kinnaur, acknowledged as the first voter in the First Gujarat Legislative Assembly comprises 182 seats out of
General Elections (1951-52) of India, passed away ahead which 13 are reserved for Scheduled Caste and 27 for
of the polling in Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly Scheduled Tribe candidates. The total number of electors
elections. However, before breathing his last on
November 5, 2022 he had already exercised his franchise including 27,943 service voters was 4,91, 17,308. Out of
by postal ballot as an Absentee Voter. Shyam Saran Negi
had voted in all 34 Lok Sabha and legislative assembly
elections. On receiving the news of his demise, Chief
Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar promptly reached
Kalpa, to pay homage to the deceased, and console the
family. In 2014, Google India had paid tribute the
veteran school teacher with a 2.24 minute video
#PledgeToVote with Mr. Shyam Negi.

witnessed tenfold increase in seizures from INR 27.21
crore in 2017 to INR 290.24 crore in 2022. A raid by Gujarat
ATS in Vadodara (Rural) and Vadodara City on November Tashigang (district Lahaul & Spiti) in Himachal Pradesh
has the world's highest polling station, located at the
29-30, 2022 unearthed 143 kg of mephedrone, a synthe c
height of 15,256 feet above the sea-level. e polling
drug worth about INR 478 crore. The total value of seizure
thus reached about INR 769 crore indica ng a whopping station retained its record of 100 percent voting. All 52
28 mes increase over seizures in 2017. electors of the village turned up to exercise their franchise
on November 12, 2022 notwithstanding the freezing
Himachal Pradesh has 68 assembly seats, out of which 17 cold. Himachal Pradesh had 65 polling stations at the
are reserved for Scheduled Caste, and three for height between 10,000 to 12,000 feet, and 20 polling
Scheduled Tribe candidates. There were 55,74,793 stations above the height of 12,000 feet from sea-level.
electors inclusive of 67,532 service voters on the state's

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