The tribals of Himachal Pradesh have a special place in the history of democracy in independent India as they were the first to cast their votes. The residents of remote Kinnaur, Chamba and Lahaul and Spiti districts were months ahead of the rest of the nation in exercising their franchise for the first general elections in 1951-52. "The voters of Kinnaur, Chamba and Lahaul and Spiti voted in October 1951 while the rest of the country voted between Dec 1951 and Feb 1952. This was done to ensure that snowfall did not deprive the tribals of the privilege of exercising their franchise," Anil Khachi, the state chief electoral officer, said.
"There were no proper roads at that time. The ballot boxes were transported on horseback," said octogenarian Dharmu Ram of Tholang village in Lahaul and Spiti district. Prem Prakash, a school teacher from Chang Ho village in Kinnaur, said, "At that time there was no enthusiasm among the voters as most of them were illiterate. People hardly knew the names of the candidates but felt happy to vote for Jawaharlal Nehru," he said. Of the 1.1 million voters in the constituency, 145,000 live in tribal areas. Lahaul and Spiti has just 22, 981 electors against 1.08 million of Kangra district. The high-altitude polling station Hikkim, which is 15, 500-feet above sea level, is also located in this constituency. "This time 321 people are eligible to vote at the Hikkim station in Spiti division. In 2004, there were 171," said Khachi. "The polling exercise is a difficult task in this region as onethird of the polling booths are located at altitudes above 13, 000-feet," he said. Voting for the polls will be held in the state on May 13. "The Lahaul valley is still cut off from the rest of the country owing to heavy snow," said Sher Singh, the Lahaul and Spiti district public relations officer. "The election bustle is still missing here. The poll scene will heat up only with the melting of snow and opening of land routes," said Hukam Chand of Keylong, the district headquarters of Lahaul and Spiti
"There were no proper roads at that time. The ballot boxes were transported on horseback," said octogenarian Dharmu Ram of Tholang village in Lahaul and Spiti district. Prem Prakash, a school teacher from Chang Ho village in Kinnaur, said, "At that time there was no enthusiasm among the voters as most of them were illiterate. People hardly knew the names of the candidates but felt happy to vote for Jawaharlal Nehru," he said. Of the 1.1 million voters in the constituency, 145,000 live in tribal areas. Lahaul and Spiti has just 22, 981 electors against 1.08 million of Kangra district. The high-altitude polling station Hikkim, which is 15, 500-feet above sea level, is also located in this constituency. "This time 321 people are eligible to vote at the Hikkim station in Spiti division. In 2004, there were 171," said Khachi. "The polling exercise is a difficult task in this region as onethird of the polling booths are located at altitudes above 13, 000-feet," he said. Voting for the polls will be held in the state on May 13. "The Lahaul valley is still cut off from the rest of the country owing to heavy snow," said Sher Singh, the Lahaul and Spiti district public relations officer. "The election bustle is still missing here. The poll scene will heat up only with the melting of snow and opening of land routes," said Hukam Chand of Keylong, the district headquarters of Lahaul and Spiti
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