Voters face trouble in finding polling booths, many return disappointed

Voters faced trouble in locating polling booths during the MC elections on Saturday. There was a total chaos at many stations. Several electors going from one booth to another while searching for their name in the voters’ list returned back disappointed without exercising their right to franchise.

Generally slips mentioning the name of the polling station number are distributed through BLOs among all area residents. Sometimes, candidates also distribute the same among voters by visiting their houses but this time, no slips were distributed in many areas.

Since the elections are being held according to the new ward delimitation, many voters failed to find their names in the voters’ list. Many of them reached polling stations where they generally cast their votes but their names were not found in the list.

Diya Kapoor, a student from Gurdev Nagar who studies in Pune, said she postponed her flight so that she could cast her vote but upon reaching the polling booth, she did not found her name in the list.

“This is disappointing. I stayed back for the voting day and now, I am returning without voting. It’s not only me but many people are also returning without casting their votes,” she said.

Vikramjeet Kaur from Professor Colony was also seen going from one booth to another, enquiring about her vote. “This is first time that such a thing has occurred happened. We are searching for our names and going from one booth to another for the same,” she said.

Prabhu Dayal, a resident of Amarpura, reached DD Jain College in the morning did not found his name in the voters’ list. He and his family returned without casting their votes.

“Staff on duty had two voter lists, one according to the old ward delimitation and the other as per the new one. I searched a few booths to exercise my right to franchise. This time, voting was a total chaos,” said Inder Kumar.

Meena, another city resident, also faced a similar situation and returned home without casting her vote. “How can they delete my name. I don’t understand what is happening and why I was unable to cast my vote,” she said.

Kiranjeet Kaur Gill, Independent candidate from Ward 60, said what was the point of holding the elections when the people were unable to cast their votes.

“Many new voters have failed to find their names in the list and those who were casting their votes at specific polling stations also failed to find their names in the list. No slips were provided to voters this time, which has created a chaotic situation. Nearly, 20 per cent of the electorate, who came to cast their votes at Guru Nanak Public School, went without voting,” she said.