This polls, no P-2 booths in Kalimpong, 3 in Darjeeling

Owing to better road connectivity and closer proximity of the polling stations from the Disbursing Centre and Receiving Centre (DCRC) located in the blocks there are no P-2 booths in the Kalimpong district this rural election. However, three P-2 booths still exist in the Darjeeling district.

P-2 booths are remote booths where polling personnel have to depart two days before the polling day as opposed to a single day (P-1,) which is in case of most of the booths.

In the case of P-2 booths there are unmotorable stretches. Polling personnel have to walk while the EVMs and VVPAT machines and in case of this rural election, ballot boxes have to be carried by man load or ponies.

“There are three P-2 booths in the Bijanbari-Pulbazar Development Block” stated S Ponnambalam, District Magistrate, Darjeeling.

The three P-2 booths include Samanden Forest Primary School; Rammam Forest Primary School and Daragaon Junior School. “Polling personnel will leave the DCRC Bijanbari Degree College on Thursday morning by vehicle. They will halt for the night at Shrikhola and continue on Friday on foot,” added Sanjay Ghising, BDO, Bijanbari.

Kalimpong boats of the furthest polling station Tangta Primary School, where one had to traverse 133 kms by vehicle from Kalimpong town and then walk 4 kms.

“We have done away with P-2 booths in our district at present. With good road connectivity the farthest booth can also be reached in a day. For the rural polls it is nearer as the polling agents will leave from the DCRC Judhabir Higher Secondary School in the Gorubathan block (instead of Kalimpong town.) However the polling personnel have to depart for the booths early,” stated R. Vimala, District Magistrate and District Election Officer, Kalimpong.

In 2006 there were 16 P-2 booths in the Darjeeling district. Kalimpong was then a part of the Darjeeling district. Out of the 16 P-2 booths 14 were in the Kalimpong sub-division and 2 in the Darjeeling sub-division.