- Polling station set up at Vellimalai peak for five registered voters in Tamil Nadu's Varusanadu Hills
- Election officials travel three hours through tough terrain to reach remote voters on hilltop
- Varusanadu Hills fall under Andipatti Assembly and Theni Lok Sabha constituencies
As Tamil Nadu prepares to vote on April 23 for the Assembly elections, the Election Commission is making arrangements to ensure every voter can cast their ballot, even in the most remote locations.
One such unique polling station will be set up at Vellimalai peak in the Varusanadu Hills of Theni district, where officials will have to travel nearly three hours through difficult terrain to reach just five registered voters living at the hilltop.
Chief Electoral Officer Gyanesh Kumar said the Election Commission is taking all necessary steps to ensure that no voter is left out. He also highlighted several unique polling stations across Puducherry, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam and Kerala.
"Polling officers travel three hours across difficult terrain in the Varusanad Hills of Theni district to reach five electors," Gyanesh Kumar said.
The Varusanadu Hills, part of the Western Ghats, fall under the Andipatti Assembly constituency and the Theni Lok Sabha constituency.
Officials say the area largely consists of estate land where many workers live, but most of them are not local residents and therefore are not registered voters. Only five local residents are currently registered to vote.
A district official told NDTV over the phone that the number of voters has been decreasing in recent elections.
"There were 17 voters during the 2021 Assembly elections and six voters during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. This time, only five voters are registered. Though many estate workers live there, they are from outside the region. We are making efforts to register more voters," the official said.
The official also added that the estate is private patta land, and reaching the location requires travelling through a tiger reserve area.
Meanwhile, political parties in Tamil Nadu are stepping up preparations for the upcoming polls. The DMK is set to begin interviews for aspiring candidates from tomorrow, while the AIADMK and BJP are expected to finalise their seat-sharing arrangements soon.
Amid speculation over actor Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) joining the NDA, both sides have so far denied any such alliance.
