From meeting 'dead' voters to wandering through pitch-dark school corridors, from enjoying the scenic beauty of a dam to cleaning neglected toilets, polling officials faced extraordinary challenges while conducting elections in Kolkata, West Bengal.
It is the effort to maintain democracy with unwavering commitment that the police personnel strive to achieve despite the innumerable obstacles that come in their way, which perhaps ensures that the conduct of parliamentary elections in a country like India is a huge and complex task. The process is completed one after the other successfully.
As six of the seven phases of the Lok Sabha elections near the end in the country, I spoke to some polling officials in West Bengal who returned to their centers to share their interesting stories.
Arup Karmakar, a school teacher from Durgapur, is one of those who spoke about his remarkable experience during election work.
“My duty was at a booth in a school in Barabani assembly constituency under Asanso Lok Sabha constituency.On our arrival at the polling station, the entire polling party including me was pleasantly surprised. The landscape surrounded by surrounding hills and a vast reservoir around Maithon Dam is amazing, Karmakar said. We did not face any problem from supporters or workers of any political party.
On the morning of voting day, Karmakar also took a dip in the water of the reservoir.
Karmakar noticed that a herd of about 50 cows had gathered in a field adjacent to the school in the evening, considering that place as their regular shelter.She disappeared in the morning and returned only after sunset.
Things went smoothly for Karmakar and his companions until they faced a "dead man walking" situation.
"When voting was going on a man entered the polling booth and claimed that although his name was in the list of dead, he was actually alive and wanted to vote. Polling agents of various political parties present at the booth confirmed this. He claimed that he had all the necessary documents to prove his identity and after verification he was allowed to vote,” Karmakar said.
Anshuman Roy, another school teacher posted at a booth under the Bardhaman-Durgapur Lok Sabha constituency, found that central force personnel had closed toilets in poor condition, leaving only less-fit toilets for election officials."But that was not the end. Soon after reaching the polling booth, some locals offered us soft drinks and I felt something was wrong. The person in charge of the booth keys was absent and when contacted he said That he Roy said, "I am unwell and the local people will arrange our food."
Typically, women who cook mid-day meals are entrusted with the task of taking care of the polling parties, including providing them food and water. Known as 'key holders', these women literally hold the keys to the polling precinct and, by extension, to hassle-free voting, Roy explained with an intended pun.Roy said, "Some people brought us dinner that night and breakfast the next morning. W paid for the entire meal. The Election Commission has set aside funds for poll officials to avoid taking any favors from anyone, including political parties. have set."
On the day of voting, the same group of people came to Roy and his team and insisted that some persons without valid photo identity cards be allowed to vote.
“When we refused, they did not argue but instead stopped giving us lunch or drinking water for the day,” Roy said.We had to complete our work without water or food."
Amit Kumar Vishwas's election duty took him to a remote village in Asansol Lok Sabha seat, where he got almost everything right, until it didn't.
"Our booth was set up in Kakhoya High School, which had lights and fans in all the rooms. However, the rest of the school campus had no lights and the bathrooms were located in a dark corner," Biswas said.
The experience was terrifying as no one could leave the classroom without a candle or torch, he said.Another polling officer, Rathin Bhowmik, had to clean toilets to make them usable on the eve of polling in Haripal under Arambagh Lok Sabha seat in Hooghly district.
Bhowmik said, "The toilets were not used for a long time. When asked, the headmistress said that there were only 40 students in the school and no one used them. Later some Village Education Committee members brought a brush and Some brought cleaning fluid, which was used to clean the toilet." .
It is the effort to maintain democracy with unwavering commitment that the police personnel strive to achieve despite the innumerable obstacles that come in their way, which perhaps ensures that the conduct of parliamentary elections in a country like India is a huge and complex task. The process is completed one after the other successfully.
As six of the seven phases of the Lok Sabha elections near the end in the country, I spoke to some polling officials in West Bengal who returned to their centers to share their interesting stories.
Arup Karmakar, a school teacher from Durgapur, is one of those who spoke about his remarkable experience during election work.
“My duty was at a booth in a school in Barabani assembly constituency under Asanso Lok Sabha constituency.On our arrival at the polling station, the entire polling party including me was pleasantly surprised. The landscape surrounded by surrounding hills and a vast reservoir around Maithon Dam is amazing, Karmakar said. We did not face any problem from supporters or workers of any political party.
On the morning of voting day, Karmakar also took a dip in the water of the reservoir.
Karmakar noticed that a herd of about 50 cows had gathered in a field adjacent to the school in the evening, considering that place as their regular shelter.She disappeared in the morning and returned only after sunset.
Things went smoothly for Karmakar and his companions until they faced a "dead man walking" situation.
"When voting was going on a man entered the polling booth and claimed that although his name was in the list of dead, he was actually alive and wanted to vote. Polling agents of various political parties present at the booth confirmed this. He claimed that he had all the necessary documents to prove his identity and after verification he was allowed to vote,” Karmakar said.
Anshuman Roy, another school teacher posted at a booth under the Bardhaman-Durgapur Lok Sabha constituency, found that central force personnel had closed toilets in poor condition, leaving only less-fit toilets for election officials."But that was not the end. Soon after reaching the polling booth, some locals offered us soft drinks and I felt something was wrong. The person in charge of the booth keys was absent and when contacted he said That he Roy said, "I am unwell and the local people will arrange our food."
Typically, women who cook mid-day meals are entrusted with the task of taking care of the polling parties, including providing them food and water. Known as 'key holders', these women literally hold the keys to the polling precinct and, by extension, to hassle-free voting, Roy explained with an intended pun.Roy said, "Some people brought us dinner that night and breakfast the next morning. W paid for the entire meal. The Election Commission has set aside funds for poll officials to avoid taking any favors from anyone, including political parties. have set."
On the day of voting, the same group of people came to Roy and his team and insisted that some persons without valid photo identity cards be allowed to vote.
“When we refused, they did not argue but instead stopped giving us lunch or drinking water for the day,” Roy said.We had to complete our work without water or food."
Amit Kumar Vishwas's election duty took him to a remote village in Asansol Lok Sabha seat, where he got almost everything right, until it didn't.
"Our booth was set up in Kakhoya High School, which had lights and fans in all the rooms. However, the rest of the school campus had no lights and the bathrooms were located in a dark corner," Biswas said.
The experience was terrifying as no one could leave the classroom without a candle or torch, he said.Another polling officer, Rathin Bhowmik, had to clean toilets to make them usable on the eve of polling in Haripal under Arambagh Lok Sabha seat in Hooghly district.
Bhowmik said, "The toilets were not used for a long time. When asked, the headmistress said that there were only 40 students in the school and no one used them. Later some Village Education Committee members brought a brush and Some brought cleaning fluid, which was used to clean the toilet." .
