Horses Used to Transport Voting Machines, Ahead of Polls

In a unique logistical effort, election officials used horses to transport voting machines to remote hill villages in Kodaikanal ahead of the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections scheduled for April 23.
According to officials, a total of 339 polling stations have been set up in the region, including 121 in the Kodaikanal hill areas under the Palani constituency. The total number of voters stands at 2,37,359, including over 1.15 lakh men and 1.21 lakh women.
Voting machines and election materials were dispatched from the Palani election office on Wednesday. However, for remote villages such as Vellagavi, Chinnur, and Periyur—home to around 508 voters—no proper road access is available. As a result, officials relied on horses to carry the equipment.
Security was heightened as the region is considered sensitive, with armed personnel and anti-Naxal police accompanying the teams. The journey involved traveling by vehicle up to Vattakanal and then trekking nearly 8 km through rugged terrain to reach the polling stations.
Officials stated that after polling concludes, the machines will be transported back to the counting centre in Dindigul on April 24.
