Shimla: The world’s highest polling station at 15,256 feet, Tashiganag village in Himachal Pradesh took little than two hours Sunday to climb up to 53 per cent voting, the state’s electoral officer Assistant Chief Electoral Officer Harbans Lal Dhiman, said. There are 49 registered voters in Tashigang polling station in tribal Lahaul and Spiti district.
Polling began at 7.00am when the temperature was below freezing point. Voters came to the polling station wearing their traditional attire to beat the chilly weather. Till 9.00am, 53% votes had been polled.
Dhiman said that nearby Hikkim polling station used to be the world’s highest polling booth earlier but it was replaced by Tashigang during the 2017 Assembly elections due to some technical reasons. Dhiman also said that a polling booth for only 16 voters had been set up at Ka in the tribal district of Kinnaur.
Both Tashigang and Ka polling stations fall under the Mandi parliamentary seat where 17 candidates are in the fray. The seat will witness a direct contest between the BJP and the Congress.
Five MLAs, including a state minister, are among the 45 candidates trying to make it to Parliament from the state where polling is underway. There are 53,30,154 registered voters for the four constituencies – Shimla (SC), Mandi, Hamirpur and Kangra – in Himachal Pradesh.