Referendum to decide fate of liquor shop
The Hindu
Residents of a Begumpet lane turn up to vote at 5 polling stations
In a novel experiment of grass-root democracy, hundreds of citizens in a lane in Begumpet turned up at five polling stations to decide the fate of a liquor shop in the area.
The Gurumurthy Lane in Begumpet was abuzz with activity on Saturday as residents in the area voted to decide whether a liquor shop at the entrance should be allowed to function or not. “I came out to vote as women are having a problem while entering or leaving the lane. The men buy liquor, drink there and create a ruckus. We fear for our safety,” said Vijaya Lahoti, a resident who turned up to vote at a polling booth in a school.
By 1 p.m., 274 residents had voted among the 1,000 residents mapped by the organisation that came up with the idea. “There is a fault line between what people want and how the rules function. The elected representatives are supposed to represent people. Once the vote is in, we will take it up with elected representatives and government officials,” informed Kota Neelima, who organised the Hakku Citizen Referendum with 15 volunteers.