Kadamakkudy: For the past 25 years, the island of Murikkal in the Kadamakkudy panchayat has recorded 100 per cent voter turnout in every election, a feat made possible because it has just one voter. The tiny island, measuring around two-and-a-half acres, is home to only one resident: 75-year-old KC Joseph.

A quarter of a century ago, Murikkal had 19 voters, including Joseph, his brothers and other relatives. Over time, the rest of the families moved away in search of better living conditions, leaving Joseph as the island’s lone inhabitant.

Despite the challenges, Joseph never considered leaving the place where he was born and raised. He has continued living alone on the island, without fear, relying initially on a kerosene lamp for light. He cultivated paddy and vegetables, fished for food, and built a life of self-reliance. For essential needs, he would row to the mainland in a small boat.

His connection with the outside world was once limited to a radio, which kept him updated on politics and elections, a subject he follows closely. Now, he rows to the mainland daily to read the newspaper.

Joseph lives in a one-room home pieced together with sheets. A lack of a ration card initially prevented him from receiving a house under government housing schemes, including the LIFE Mission. When he eventually obtained one, his APL status made him ineligible for assistance. He has since been reclassified as BPL.

Despite limited facilities, Joseph says he is content. He shares his life with five pet dogs, whom he considers his protectors.

The island of Murikkal was formed during the great flood of 1341, when it separated from the Vypin archipelago, a fragment of history that Joseph continues to guard as its sole resident.