The Shompen Tribes : For the first time, the Champan tribe living in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands voted in the elections.
Out of the total 543 Lok Sabha constituencies across the country, only 102 Lok Sabha constituencies were held in the first phase yesterday. Elections were held in 21 states including Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Union Territories including Puducherry, Lakshadweep, Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
In the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the Shampan tribe living within the Indian territory without any connection with the Indian government have voted in Indian elections for the first time in history. 7 people from this tribe with a population of around 300 cast their votes in the 411th polling station in Andaman and Nicobar Islands with Indian voter ID cards.
The Shampan tribes are cut off from the outside world and live in rainfed villages. They were hunter-gatherers and knew the medicinal properties of plants. People who eat monkey, pig and crocodile meat as food. They do not allow outsiders into their residence.
Only a few of the Champaign tribe would come out of their crowd and get what they needed from the outsiders and then go back to where their people lived.
An interpreter who knew their language was called to the Shampan tribe who had no contact with the outside world and explained about the election and voting through him, and then it was arranged that only 7 people from the Shapan tribe would vote. Yesterday they performed the Indian democratic duty for the first time.
