A sense of urgency appears to be cutting through Darjeeling’s otherwise laid-back electoral temperament, with many residents saying the coming elections carry a weight beyond the ordinary because of the recently concluded special intensive revision (SIR) of the voter list.
Pema Sherpa, a resident of Lalung Busty in Mungpoo’s Ranju Valley who runs a restaurant near the Darjeeling Motor Stand, perhaps sums up the mood best. “I was not keen to vote this year. But I will make sure I go and vote,” said Sherpa.
For Sherpa, the shift is not driven by party preference but by what he describes as the “importance” of the election following the SIR drive. “Everyone is saying that we have to vote, as this is the first election after the SIR, and we need to record our presence,“ he said.
Even though the Election Commission has not officially framed the polls in this light, many voters believe the exercise has given the upcoming election a distinct significance. The EC, however, has always encouraged greater voter participation in all elections.
“I had to go through a tense period after my name was sent for adjudication. My name has finally been included in the final list after verification by judicial officers and it is very important for me to vote this time,” said a resident of Dali in Darjeeling, who did not want to be identified.
The heightened sense of participation is also visible within families whose youths are working elsewhere. Several residents said parents were “almost insistently” calling their children and relatives working or studying outside the hills to return home and vote on April 23. “People who work outside, especially in the metros, are not always keen to return and vote during the Assembly elections,” said an observer.
This renewed push contrasts sharply with the apathy witnessed in recent local polls. Darjeeling, often criticised for its relaxed pace, has historically seen moderate voter turnout in certain elections. During the 2022 GTA polls, for instance, the hill town recorded a turnout of just 56.5 per cent, with many citing a lack of interest in the semi-autonomous body.