Names missing from list, disgruntled citizens return without casting vote

Hameed Ashraf | NT

Bengaluru: While the polling was underway, a few voters voiced frustration at not being able to find the right polling booths for hours, and said they ultimately returned home without casting their vote.

Speaking to News Trail, voters expressed anger over the gross mismanagement at several booths in the city. Voting for the polls began at 7am and concluded at 6pm on Wednesday. Meanwhile, at polling booths, disgruntled citizens said they have been roaming from pillar to post to cast their votes, only to be refused and guided to another room or booth by election officials. "I had to roam with my elderly mother for over two hours. I cast my vote at St Dominic School, but my mother couldn't. I was redirected to different booths.

Nobody knew where she had to vote," Manasa SP (name changed on request) told News Trail. The woman alleged that her mother had misplaced her Voter ID and had carried an Aadhaar Card to the polling booth. However the officials could not verify her mother's Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC) number and said that she cannot be allowed to vote.

"This shows the lack of preparedness of the authorities. It is the responsibility of the Election Commission to ensure that its officials are properly trained to handle such situations, " she said. Chaos ensued at a polling booth in JP Nagar 5th stage after several voters found their names missing from the list.