The 2019 Indian election is on a scale that would leave most other countries reeling. That’s because nine hundred million voters are choosing representatives for 543 seats in the 17th Lok Sabha national assembly. Staggered voting occurs between 11 April and 19 May 2019, followed by mass counting on May 23. Batteries enable election officials to complete their task in remote communities.
Batteries Enable Election Process as Ajād Tāpu Island Votes
The tiny island of Ajād Tāpu is off the coast of Gujarat in India at coordinates 22°22’60” N and 69°19’60” E. This is in the Gulf of Kutch on the continental western seaboard. That region has the highest potential for tidal power generation in the world.
However the islanders on the south side of the gulf know nothing of such technology. The inhabitants of Ajād Tāpu have no knowledge of such things. Instead, they continue their traditional way of fishing off the island in their rowing boats. Is this an idyllic existence? They say no, their government has forgotten them.
See the Election Happen on Ajād Tāpu Island
How Batteries Enable Election Results on Ajād Tāpu
There is no grid electricity on the tiny island. Abhishek Madhukar reports that 20 officials from the Indian electoral commission had a long journey to reach it. First, they took a long drive by car to the Gulf of Kutch coast where the islanders collected them by fishing boat.
Then after they landed, they faced a long trek to the polling station. This was because this was the only way to bring their battery power electronic voting machines to a single village of 44 registered voters. Only 29 of them cast their ballots in a 65% poll. However, this was not a bad turnout by western standards.
The battery-power electronic voting machines comprise two pieces of connected equipment. Citizens use the balloting unit to cast their votes, after the presiding officer confirms their identity before releasing the ballot button on the control unit.
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Preview Image: Ajād Tāpu Island in the Gulf of Kutch (Google Earth)
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