Indian officials travel deep into jungle to allow one temple priest to vote
Indian officials travelled nearly 70 km (45 miles) through
lion-infested jungle this week to ensure a 69-year-old holy man got his change
to take part in the world's biggest democratic exercise.
A four-member team of election officials, accompanied by a
policeman, set up a special polling station deep in the Gir wildlife sanctuary
in Gujarat state so a sole voter - Bharatdas Darshandas - could vote in the
general election.
A priest who has lived at his remote forest temple for two
decades, Darshandas has not missed an election since 2002, and cast his vote on
Tuesday by walking nearly a kilometre to the special polling station.
Darshandas looks after a Shiva Temple in the 350 square
kilometre (850-square-mile) wildlife sanctuary, home to some 600 of the last
remaining Asiatic lions.
India has more than 900 million eligible voters who can cast
their ballots at 1 million polling stations.
Officials often have to travel to remote regions over days
to get to voters. But an arduous trip for just one voter is not so common.
"The fact that the government is taking so much effort
to ensure the casting of one vote speaks to the importance of each and every
vote," Darshandas told Reuters partner ANI in an interview.
"Just the way voting is 100 percent in Banej, there
should be 100 percent voting everywhere," Darshandas said, referring to
the place he lives.
The staggered general election has seven phases. It began on
April 11 and will end on May 19. Votes will be counted on May 23.
Sourabh Pardhi, an election official from the area, said the
Election Commission had worked hard to ensure everyone got a chance to vote.
"We want to make sure that no voter is left
behind," he told ANI.
