How I was able to vote despite official apathy

The big question in Mumbai today is if India’s Maximum City will beat its abysmal voting record, usually polling below 50 percent of votes from among eligible voters.

However, at the suburban, upper middle class enclave of Raheja Vihar and nearby buildings in Chandivali and Powai, there was already a long queue of enthusiastic voters at 7 am, eager to exercise their democratic right.

Residents’ Facebook groups in the area have been encouraging voters to make sure their voice is heard and ensure that the booths in the area have a 90 percent turnout. From the 7 am enthusiasm it did seem like many were paying heed and the Facebook campaigns were working.

In contrast to voter enthusiasm, party volunteers who set up roadside tables to help with voters lists still hadn’t arrived. The Aam Aadmi Party’s dedicated volunteers were the only ones setting up a table around 7:15 am. The other parties seemed absent, perhaps because paid ‘volunteers’ aren’t exactly early birds.

But once voters entered the building with polling booths, confusion reigned as Indian babudom reared its usual intrusive head. Cops refused to allow cars to park even though there is authorised parking and it is well outside the building where polling would take place. Inside the gate, people were desperately trying to find their polling booths even as the few officials there seemed completely disinterested, even though it was barely minutes since the voting process had begun.

Booklets were thrown on the table and voters were asked to search their names. Some senior citizens pleaded for the home guard present there to try and ensure a queue but to no avail.

Thankfully, I had downloaded the part of the Final Electoral Roll where my name was listed and one official finally saw that on my smartphone and told me my polling booth number, since it was mentioned on it.

After waiting in a queue at the polling booth, when our turn finally came we were asked for the voter number. Huh? That took us by surprise. We showed them our voter ID cards but far worse official apathy, rudeness and lack of basic knowledge of the voting process was on display for all to see.

We were asked to get out and go back to the help desk outside. When I pointed out to the presiding officer that we had a five-month-old baby in hand and should be allowed to search for the number since they had told us at the helpdesk that we should come to that booth and hadn’t mentioned any other number. She said she didn’t give a damn! I felt like screaming at her, especially as I had come to the voting booth straight from a 5-hour red eye flight and had got had just 2 hours of fitful sleep.

I contemplated using social media and taking the official’s snap to post it on Facebook. But despite the lack of sleep the brain reminded me that mobile phones were not to be used inside booths and while the officials were apathetic about voting they would surely show great enthusiasm to get me booked for breaking a rule.

Fortunately another neighbour, who was a senior government officer till recent retirement, pointed out that the number was behind the Voters ID card itself. Unbelievable, but this is Indian babudom.

What was utterly shocking was that election officials were trained so poorly that they didn’t even know this basic fact. Or that the number is also on the part of the electoral roll where your name is listed.

The disinterested and apathetic officials didn’t even bother to thank the gentleman for educating them on what they should have already known. Service with a smile is not something you expect, but at least basic knowledge of voting procedures is not too much to ask.

Hopefully as the day goes on, voter enthusiasm will drown out the official apathy.