Voting Trouble!

It sounded too good to be true. In the end it really was. A 3-sentence promise from the election commissioner ended up turning into a nightmare for voters and officials alike.

When I got to hear the news, I promptly called up my friends and told them about this no-nuisance method to get a voter’s id. My colleagues were also appreciative of the fact that a guy in his notice period is still willing to help the organization. People in our apartment block were very excited and one of the office bearers (viz. retired people with a lot of time in their hands and an internet connection at home) was given the responsibility to gather more information about this time saving initiative. Everybody was happy that the hi-tech nature of this city is finally rubbing off on the state government.

Alas! The babus, like always, decided to turn the tables. Or should I say they decided to play ignorant to the very existence of tables.

Let me quickly & chronologically detail how it all panned out:

Week of April 13^th to 18^th: Everyone is confused about the drop-box plan...The only confirm reports in newspapers are about IPL.

April 19^th: News breaks out that Form-001 uploaded on Bangalorevoterid.org

April 20^th: Dad asks me to get 15-20 print outs. No, we aren’t that big a family. Dad was planning to be charitable and distribute to the other families in the apartment block.

April 21^st : I discover I don’t have passport pics…I don’t have any negatives either…I get photos done…Don’t like my pic...It is almost a sleazy expression…But then decide to keep it coz it is (hopefully) not gonna be used for my arranged matrimony process.

April 21^st : I inform all friends and colleagues of the form…Download Form-001…Take 25 printouts…Toner of printer goes low…I pretend it was low even before I printed so many copies.

April 21^st : Triumphant return with Form-001...Greeted with enthusiasm from dad…We realize form is in Kannada…Needs to be translated…Mom and dad start to translate based on their 3 month Kannada crash course…One hour later, when one line has been translated, neighbor comes in with English forms…Dad looks at me with disgrace.

April 22^nd: I send soft copy of English forms to friends and collegues...Nobody sends a thank-you mail...Nobody seems interested…I go back to the printer…Print 25 English forms…Toner goes low again…Facilities guys lodge FIR.

April 23^rd: News says that officials are turning away people who had dropped forms in drop boxes…They say they don’t know about this ‘new’ process…We are also unsure…Forms lie at home…We decide to watch IPL.

April 24^th: We decide to go ahead with the process anyways…We fill up the forms and attach pics…I was not sure if they will accept my form with my almost-sleazy pic.

April 25^th: Dad drops the form in the drop-box…Everybody is happy and the 48-hour wait starts…In the meanwhile, Harbhajan slaps Sreesanth...Sreesanth cries…I laugh!

April 26^th: Office bearers call up election office to find out status of the dropped forms...Officials say bring along address proofs…Dad goes in mid-day sun to submit address proofs…Sometime later office bearers call again…Officials say they cannot give ‘guarantee’ that voters id will be issued based on the dropped forms…Everyone is seriously pissed off…I decide not to vote!

April 26^th<3pm>: Office bearers call and inform that there is no crowd at the voter id issuing booth.

April 26^th<3:05pm>: We inform everyone we know in the apartment block…We rush…6 people in my car and a lot of hope in our hearts.

April 26^th<3:30pm>: Booth is indeed empty…We get our photo done…New photograph, same old sleazy expression.

April 26^th<4:00pm>: We get our photo id cards...Breathe sigh of relief…But still pissed off!

So, in order to save 2 hours of standing in the queue, we spent more than a week informing people, taking printouts, clickin sleazy pics, dropping forms, submitting address proofs and getting extremely frustrated – all in a futile cause. Finally we had to settle with a voter id card which has misspelt address and looks totally fake.

I don’t know if I wanna vote anymore!