In a first, the Election Commission of Uttarakhand and the state forest department will be setting up poll booths inside reserved forests -- in dak bungalows, forest outposts and temporary shelters. Forest rangers have been deployed to help. Officials feel the move will allow indigenous communities like the Van Gujjars -- which have been settled inside the reserved forests of Uttarakhand for over 50 years and have an estimated population of 80,000 -- a chance to vote collectively for the first time.
