Overview
- The ‘Democracy Express’, which ran Friday on the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, carried voter-awareness messages ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections.
- Events spanned a walkathon at Chowrasta, an election pledge, a Sherpa cultural show and a signature drive at Darjeeling station before a special train rolled to Batasia Loop.
- Organisers used youth-friendly draws to reach first-time voters, including an extra open coach, cartoon characters like Chhota Bheem and Chutki, voter jingles, a Maruni dance and a symbolic human chain.
- ECI official Asish Goyal urged high turnout and said polling stations will be webcast, with no more than 1,200 voters assigned per booth and an upgraded app to guide voters.
- District Magistrate Harishanker Panicker and SP Pratiksha Jharkhariya asked residents to help keep April 23 peaceful, leveraging the UNESCO-listed railway’s tourist route to reach both locals and visitors.