Page 268 - Leap of Faith Vol - 2

Leap of Faith Journey of Indian Elections

Surat, the Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar
appealed to the voters to come out in large numbers in
the second phase of the Gujarat elections.
In the second phase, 93 Assembly Constituencies went to
poll on December 5. The overall turnout appreciated
marginally to 64.84 percent. This was still below the turnout
figure of 69.01 percent recorded in the previous assembly
elections in 2017. This implies that there is still a long way to
trudge for enhancing voter turnout on a sustained basis.

However, it was matter of cheer that Himachal Pradesh
recorded 75.78 percent voter turnout, the highest in the
history of the state.
The counting of votes for legislative assembly elections in
Mahant Haridas Udaseen was the sole registered voter in a Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat, besides bye-elections in six
polling station in Una Assembly Constituency (Gir Assembly Constituencies in five states viz. Odisha, Rajasthan,
Somnath district) in Gujarat. He dutifully cast his vote on Bihar, Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh and one Parliamentary
December 1, 2022 in the first phase of Gujarat Legislative Constituency in Uttar Pradesh were taken up on December
Assembly elections. He is the current priest of Baneshwar 8. One Counting Observer was deputed in each Assembly
Mahadev Temple, situation at Banej. It is located deep Constituency. For the first time, the Commission appointed a
inside Gir Forest, the last surviving natural habitat of state level Special Observer, Inclusion and Accessibility for
Asiatic Lions. Political parties do not canvass in the area for the assembly elections of Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat to
fear of wild animals. e polling team comprising 10
persons travelled 25 kms to set up a booth for a single voter.
Gujarat has 1600 km of coastline, longest for any Indian
Haridas Udaseen is the successor of Mahant Bharatdas state. e seascape is dotted with islets, a number of
Darshandas, who was the sole voter in the polling station which are inhabited. Election Commission of India
for nearly two decades, before he passed away in facilitated voting for the first time in the islets, obviating
November, 2019. Setting up a booth for single voter the need for electors to travel to mainland. At Aliabet,
illustrates Election Commission of India's commitment to under Vagra AC, in Bharuch district, a polling station
its motto of No Voter to be Le Behind. was set up in a shipping container. With minimum
facilities assured for 217 electors, they were spared
travelling for more than 80 kms to vote in the nearest
constituencies like Shimla had recorded 62.53 percent polling station in Bharuch. Similarly, five polling stations
turnout, as against the overall figure of 75.6 percent in were set in Siyalbet, an island village under Rajula AC, in
the state. Gujarat's demography, however, was far more
Amreli district. is spared 4757 voters of the village of
urbanised than that of Himachal Pradesh. Recognising
trekking 15 kms to the nearest town Jafrabad.
that urban apathy continues unabated from Shimla to

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