Manpreet Singh Bhatia
Jamshedpur, Nov 15: The establishment of a polling booth in the remote village of Lakhaidih in Dumaria block, East Singhbhum district, significantly increased voter turnout in the assembly elections. Previously, villagers had to travel approximately 24 kilometers to Bhitar Amda’s booth number 274, or a shorter but arduous 3-kilometer route through mountainous forests, to cast their votes.
This year, a new polling booth was set up in Lakhaidih, located in the Potka assembly constituency on the Jharkhand-Odisha border. Known as a shadow area with no mobile network connectivity, the village predominantly houses scheduled tribes. The villagers had long requested a polling booth, especially during the last Lok Sabha elections. Their request was fulfilled through the efforts of District Election Officer Ananya Mittal and the Election Commission of India.
The new polling booth transformed voter participation, with turnout soaring from the previous 30-32% to an impressive 80.15%. Villagers expressed gratitude to Jharkhand Chief Electoral Officer Ravi Kumar, the Election Commission, and the district administration for their initiative.
Salma Tudu, daughter of village head Kanhu Ram Tudu, proudly cast the first vote at the new booth. The villagers celebrated their increased participation, hailing the move as a step towards empowerment and greater inclusion in the democratic process.
