Peaceful poll at Pappanamcode

Thiruvananthapuram: Pappanamcode registered 68.48 percent polling in the bypoll on Thursday. The turnout of female voters was more - of the 6419 who came to vote, 3295 were women. This time, the voters' list had 9373 voters, with close to 430 new voters added to the list. The percentage of first-time voters was not clear, as many of the new voters could just be those who had shifted recently.
Initially the turnout of female voters was less than that of male voters. This, despite the total number of female voters being more than that of male voters here.

The only exception to this was a booth at NSS College for Women, Neeramankara. But polling steadily rose from 7 percent at 8 pm, to 49 percent at 1 pm. Later, it slowed down with 65.52 percent registered at 4 pm, and 68.48 percent at 5 pm. Barring an altercation at Government UPS, Karumam, which the policemen termed as "inconsequential", the bypoll was peaceful. The other venues were: Government Women's Polytechnic, Kaimanam; NSS College for Women, Neeramankara; SCT College of Engineering, Pappanamcode; Government UPS, Karumam.

Around 150 police personnel deployed at seven polling stations, ensured that voters would not crowd the venues. They also used video cameras to monitor the poll. CPM candidate K Mohanan was seen doing the rounds at various venues. BJP councillors M R Gopan of Nemom ward and R Sanilkumar of Melamcode ward were with the BJP candidate Ashanath G S. Mohan Vishnu, fielded by the UDF, said that the DCC Leader could not turn up because of health issues.

First-time voters are thrilled by experience

One might think it is rare to find first time voters during a bypoll. However around 430 new voters were added to the list in Pappanamcode, though the actual count of first time voters is not clear. Deccan Chronicle bumped into two first-time voters at Government Women's Polytechnic, Kaimanam - siblings Gopika M and Hari M.

Siblings Gopika M. and Hari M. (Photo: DC)

The 23-year-old young man had earned his right to vote many elections ago, but he was never home. Hari was at IIT Roorkee, and recently joined an MBA course at HEC Paris. "Travelling from Roorkee meant a three-day train journey or a flight. I had no idea then that I could register as a voter at the constituency I was at," he says. Gopika, a first year B Tech student at SCT College of Engineering, Pappanamcode, wanted to ink her index finger during the Assembly Election. But, her application for an electoral ID card was submitted late.

Both of them shared that for the local body elections, the merits of a candidate matter more than the political ideologies they represent. Hari says, "For general elections, the broader policies matter. Locally, though, a councillor should be responsive, approachable, and should have had a track record. Someone we can trust." When asked about issues that call for attention in the ward, Gopika cited waterlogging in Vinayak Nagar during the rains. "There is also the universal problem of waste management. Waste is collected from our home, but we do not know what happens to it," she says.

Elders find it hard to vote

A 74-year-old lady was seen descending a flight of stairs at Government Women's Polytechnic, Kaimanam, with great difficulty on Thursday. She, Leela Soman, has never missed an election, according to her daughter Sheila who is not so young herself. Close to 50, she did not find it easy to walk her mother down the stairs. But elections are usually held at government institutions, which are almost inaccessible to people with limb problems or disabilities, and both of them were used to the idea.

Leela Soman, at 74, seeks the help of others to descend stairs at Govt Polytechnic at Kaimanam.

There was a ramp somewhere away from the main entrance. There were no signages showing where it was. There was a makeshift ramp at NSS College, Neeramankara. The flight of stairs was shorter at SCT College of Engineering and Government UPS, Karumom. Moreover, there was no wheelchair at the venue. Assistant Returning Officer E Shajahan says, "There was a vehicle carrying a wheelchair and EVMs. Anyone could have asked for the wheelchair, anytime, as it was just 5 minutes away from all the venues."

Normally, vehicles ferrying old people, invalids and people with disabilities are allowed inside the venue, according to Nemom Sub-Inspector T Edwin. At Karumom UPS, where he was stationed, the police had helped many an old person climb the stairs, he says. Another idea was to choose venues which do not have as long a flight of stairs as Kaimanam Polytechnic. However, can one choose where one votes?