Kerala Chief Electoral Officer Rathan U. Kelkar with residents of Edamalakkuda in Idukki in February. | Photo credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
A press briefing by the Election Commission of India (EC) announcing the dates for the State Assembly polls on Sunday highlighted the problems associated with polling in Edamalakkudy, the first tribal panchayat of Idukki. During the briefing, the EC noted that residents of remote settlements in Edamalakkudy have to travel nearly 30 kilometers to cast their vote.
India’s Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said the EC has completed all arrangements to facilitate voting for the tribal community in Edamalakkudy. “Officials of the Commission inspected the assembly election facilities at LP Edamalakkudy Government School, including polling booths. Officials also visited Amabalapadikudy settlement to encourage tribal voters to participate in the elections,” the commissioner said.
While the tribal panchayat was the focus of attention during the press meet, the reality for residents remains difficult as many have to trek four to five hours to reach the ballot box. “Many settlements are located deep inside the forest without proper road facilities. Tribe members often have to travel 10 to 20 kilometers to reach the nearest hut,” the source said.
KP Subash Chandran, author of the settlement book, had earlier submitted a petition to the Chief Election Commissioner and the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) ahead of the local body elections. The petition demanded insurance cover for tribal voters who have to travel through dense forests to vote. The CMO subsequently forwarded the petition to the Devikulam District Collector and Sub-Collector for further action.
However, the answer came only after surveys by local authorities.
“After the local body elections, the sub-collector submitted a report to the collector stating that the government is ready to arrange the facilities as directed by the State Election Commission,” Mr. Chandran said.
“Voters in Edamalakkudy have to travel through areas where elephants and other animals roam freely to reach the polling booth. In the 2011 elections, the state government provided insurance for election officials on duty in Edamalakkudy; I am looking for the same insurance model for voters,” said Mr. Chandran.
In February, Chief Electoral Officer of Kerala Rathan U. Kelkar visited Edamalakkudy to review the progress of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the Electoral Roll and encourage the community to exercise their right to vote in the upcoming Assembly elections.
Published – 15 March 2026 20:18 IST
