"Hum Paanch" election booth in Ladakh

Thukjay Gonpa (J-K), Nov 15 : In the forthcoming Assembly elections, polling station Thukjey Gonpa of Leh district in Jammu and Kashmir is the smallest having only five voters. It has been named as the "Hum Paanch" booth.

Located at a height of 14000 feet from the sea level, the polling station has just five voters who would exercise their right to vote.

Those who have spent their entire life living in the picturesque hilly terrain say that though there are around 50 families that belong to the region, only five persons manage to brave the rugged terrain and the cold to live there round the year.

"I am 80 years old and every time during the elections, I vote to elect a leader. There are more then 50 families here, but at present we are only five of us who always stay here at this place. The other families keep moving from one place to another," said Tundup Tashi, Resident of Thukjay Gonpa.

Even as the security personnel, the electoral officials and the candidates altogether shall outnumber the voters, the voters-three males and two females, are determined to cast their votes when Leh goes to polls in the first of the seven - phase election on November 17.

Campaigning for the first phase of polling will end toady.

There are 8109 polling stations in the state and they would be guarded as per their specifications of sensitive and hyper-sensitive nature.

Three-tier security will be provided at sensitive places like venues of election rallies and all candidates will get security in the Kashmir valley and troubled areas of Jammu region.

The seven-phase assembly polls are expected to draw over 65 lakh voters at 8,000 polling stations in the state.

ANI