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• On May 7, at least one voting precinct in India had 100% turnout, AFP reported.
Banej, in the protected Gir forest, is the home of Mahant Haridas Udaseen, a 42-year-old Hindu monk who is its only inhabitant.
India is trying to reach every voter, so a team of 10 people were required to travel for two days from Gujarat -- along unpaved roads through the last remaining habitat of the endangered Asiatic lion -- to collect Udaseen's vote.
Although he showed up before lunchtime, rules required the election workers to stay until the evening.
"In a democracy, every single person is important," said Padhiyar Sursinh, the election officer in a town 40 miles away.
Udaseen was an enthusiastic voter: "I am loving the attention that I am getting as a lone voter in the forest," he said. [AFP, 5/7/2024]