Himachal: World's highest polling booth to be a 'tall task' for the EC

According to the EC out of the total 7881 polling stations in Himachal Pradesh, this year 65 are located at an altitude of 10,000 to 12,000 feet while 20 polling stations are located at an altitude over 12,000 feet.

Lahaul Spiti (Himachal Pradesh): Located at an altitude of 15,256 feet Tashigang in the Lahaul Spiti district is the highest polling booth in the world and will perhaps pose the toughest challenge to the Election Commission (EC) in the upcoming Assembly election on November 12.

Not only is reaching the polling station is in itself a challenge to poll workers, but ensuring that 52 voters in the area reach Tashigang will be challenging for the EC. The Lahaul-Spiti district known as the 'snow desert' not only presents the challenge of rugged terrain and freezing temperatures, but the district used to get off from the rest of the country due to heavy snowfall, after November.

However, after the construction of the Atal tunnel, it can be reached throughout the year. The Indo-China border is just 10 km away from the polling booth and the district headquarters headquarter Kaza is about 35 kilometers away.

Tashigang is not the only challenge the EC is expected to face during the Himachal Pradesh Assembly election. Earlier the Hikkim village in the district was considered to be the highest polling booth in the world. Located at an altitude of 14,567 feet, Hikkim also has the highest post office and gym in the world.

There are several other polling booths located at high altitudes in far-flung areas of the State. According to the EC out of the total 7881 polling stations in Himachal Pradesh, this year 65 are located at an altitude of 10,000 to 12,000 feet while 20 polling stations are located at an altitude over 12,000 feet.