Poor arrangements at polling booths in Chandigarh
while Chandigarh is voting today, it seems like arrangements at the polling booths have miserably failed. Voting not only means, come, vote and go. There should be proper arrangements keeping in view the value of voters time. Agreed that the day is called off, but that does not mean that voter must spend half a day at polling booth beneath the scorching sun. All the more the delicate and so called elite class of Chandigarh do not prefer to move out and vote at these shabby polling booths. The introduction of token system beforehand can help the voters save time and move out only when their turn is called.
At one of the polling booth the election staff refused to accept the adhaar card and many voters were turned down due to this. In one of the rare the lady voter present there when inquired about her details, she was informed that she was dead as per the election commission record. That fit and healthy lady fell into shock. Yet another instance when most of voters who were highly educated including Chartered Accountants, Lawyers, Doctors were waiting in queue for their turn, there was this man in white kurta pajamas went straight into the polling booth and returned in less than 5 minutes. Seemed like he was relative of some political power. Look at the irony no one had the courage to question that lad of 23-25 years who bypassed the queue in which senior citizens were waiting. Story does not end here, a very old senior citizen when visited this booth, there was absolutely no sitting arrangement. It was kind of the election official to offer his chair to old man.
When my turn came, I was shocked to learn that there was only one EVM machine to cater for thousands of voters who were allotted that polling booth. Further at my polling booth it was about 150 mtrs walking distance from the car parking to polling booth, and there were absolutely no arrangements for handicapped, people with injuries or old aged to commute easily. Golf carts, e-rickshaws and dedicated booth would have been a great idea. I also felt the ECI should have sought help from volunteers, NGOs, Self Help groups in organizing the festival of democracy. A certificate of appreciation would not have been a high price for assisting the voters.
Point I want to make here is that the situation have not changed. When we talk about digital India and welfare of the citizens, the arrangements at time makes us realize that even on voting day we have no importance.
Poor arrangements at polling booths in Chandigarh
As single vote wont make any difference, people are left with no choice other than enjoying their holiday with their families. Most of the polling booth are found in same state. I hope from next time onwards, arrangements must improve as an encouragement for voters to vote and participate in this festival of democracy.
Regards
