Polling Day

10th May, 2008

I woke up really early to a beautiful weekend morning at 8:30 (although it is not considered to be early morning by some of the most boring people on earth). It was only when I woke up, did I realise that it was the polling day in Bangalore. I have been holding a voter's ID for the last 6 years but it has been put to use in every place other than in a polling booth. With a little extra enthusiasm I went to the booth with my ID card and stood in the queue only to experience the obvious indifference by the people in charge of the booth. The officer in charge politely asked all the people to move to the respective rooms where their names would be in the list. But as though to belittle my enthusiasm, the officer cornered me and asked me to produce my well preserved ID card.

When I stood there in the actual room where votes were being cast, there came a constable asking me all those routine questions the answers for which would make no difference in whatsoever. When I approached the final stage before the voting i.e. when there is a markmade on your nails with that special ink, I felt like one of the most responsible citizens exercising his fundamental right.

By evening when the statistics were out as to only 44% of the Bangaloreans had voted, I was dumbstruck. Can anyone believe it? That the city which has been under the anarchy of the coaliations, for past 3-4 years during which Everything in Bangalore from Infrastructure to Economic growth, from health care facilities to Educational facilities has gone from bad to worse has only half of its people ready to take up the responsibility. That these supposedly intelligent people have no interest whatsoever in the most fundamental right given to each of us. That we are running away from our chance to rule ourselves.