Out to vote, but nameless on the rolls

Despite discrepancies in voter lists and lack of awareness, Hyderabad saw enthusiastic participation from senior citizens and individuals with disabilities. Raju and his son were unable to cast their votes due to his name missing from the list, while others faced similar disappointments. At various polling stations, individuals argued with staff due to lack of awareness, while others hurried to nearby stationeries to obtain printouts. Subramanya Ponnada, a physically challenged man, demonstrated his commitment by casting his vote.

Panduranga Raju, a resident of Ishaq Colony in Karkhana, was in for some disappointment when he visited the Gandhian High School polling station. Despite all the details being featured on the website, Mr. Raju discovered that his name was missing from the voter’s list. In a family of four, Mr. Raju and his son shared one polling station, while his wife and daughter were allocated another. Unfortunately, only the mother-daughter duo was able to cast their vote, leaving Mr. Raju and his son disheartened.

This was not an isolated incident, as several individuals had similar experiences due to discrepancies in the voter list. At various polling stations, a lack of awareness about the voting process became evident. At the Government Institute of Electronics in East Marredpally, an individual engaged in a heated argument with polling staff after arriving there with an Aadhaar card. “The individual’s registered address on the Aadhaar card belonged to another constituency, leading to confusion,” said an on-duty staffer.

The lack of awareness extended to voters arriving at polling stations in Jawahar Nagar, Medchal, who had stored their voting details on their mobile phones, unaware that phones were not permitted inside the polling station. These voters had to hurry to nearby stationery shops and get printouts. At a polling station in Tarnaka, two first-time voters arrived with their voter ID cards without verifying their designated polling location. After waiting in queue for 20 minutes, they left disheartened upon discovering that their names were not on the list.

In contrast, senior citizens and individuals with disabilities enthusiastically embraced the opportunity to vote. Subramanya Ponnada, a 45-year-old physically challenged man, demonstrated his commitment by casting his vote at the Government Polytechnic for Women in Secunderabad Cantonment Assembly Constituency. Despite his physical disability, Ponnada expressed dedication to exercising his right to vote, a practice he has maintained for long.

Several polling stations in Secunderabad and Secunderabad Cantonment constituency were well-equipped, featuring ramps and wheelchairs and sufficient staff to assist voters with special needs.