Polling officials reach remote booths for April 17 polls

Polling officials Tuesday night reached 16 remote booths in the mountainous terrain of Darjeeling constituency for the first phase of Lok Sabha polls in West Bengal April 17.

As many as 64 polling officials carrying EVMs, candles and other materials and accompanied by security personnel, covered the distance uphill - partly by motor vehicles and partly on foot - since setting out in the morning.

Srikhola Primary School booth - nearly 2,800 m above sea level - is the highest, followed by the Daragaon Junior High School booth and Rammam Forest Primary School booth around 2,600 m above sea level. All are under the Srikhola-Daragaon village panchayat in Bijonbari block in the Darjeeling hills.

The central paramilitary personnel have been included in the Quick Response Teams, said an official.

The troopers alsongside district police personnel have already started route marches in the four constituencies.

The Manebhanjan Group Forest Community Hall polling centre has the least number of voters - 130 - 66 men and 64 women.