Tamil Nadu - Others   

Inhospitable terrain won't deter them

By R. Krishnamoorthy

PACHAMALAI HILLS (TIRUCHI DISTRICT), MAY 10. By virtually flooding the polling booths and displaying their commitment to the democratic process, tribals in the Pachamalai hills left the polling officials dumbstruck with admiration.

Though the tribals, `malaialis', hailing from remote villages in inhospitable terrain, had to trek between five and 10 km to reach the polling booths, they did not mind the trouble and deemed it their duty to exercise their franchise. Rainfed agriculture being their only source of sustenance, a vast majority of the voters, both men and women, had to lose a day's earning to fulfil their democratic responsibility.

The situation was more or less the same in all the three revenue panchayats of Thenparanadu, Vannadu and Kombai, comprising 58 hamlets on the hills, in the Uppiliapuram Assembly segment in the Perambalur (reserved) Parliamentary constituency. While the tribals in Thenparanadu and Vannadu are catching up with the times, literacy still remains a far cry in hamlets in Kombai. Though 90 per cent of the voters at Kombai were used to casting votes with thumb impression, the electronic voting machine (EVM) was not a hindering factor.

The polling officials at the booths in Top Sengattupatti in Theparanadu panchayat, Kinathur and Chinna Illuppur in Vannadu Panchayat and Sembilichampatti in Kombai panchayat cooperated with the tribals though by straining their nerves. At the Sembilichampatti polling booth, there were 978 voters in the list. But only 353 voters could cast their votes till 2 p.m., since most of them, including youths were not used to EVMs. The officials and the election agents had to guide almost each of the voters and let them go only after hearing the beep sound. The officials were racing against time to complete the process, even as a crowd waited outside, giving preference to elders.

The situation was slightly different at Top Sengattupatti, where there were 1,176 voters. A total of 147 men and 178 women cast their votes within a few hours of the start of the process. The voters had to come from far-off Solmathi, Kambur, Thaneerpalam and Nachilipatti. Thaneerpalam was about 8 km away from the polling station.

However, at the Kinathur station, officials had a tough time, with a group of tribals, who apprehended bogus voting. Kaliammal (45), who came to the booth around noon after walking more than 10 km from her village, Kurichi, was turned away since ``her vote was already cast.'' This despite her possession of the photo identity card and the correct serial number, as in the voters' list. The officials pleaded helplessness citing their requirement to honour to the EC direction pertaining to recognition of the 14 documents and admitted that ``it was possible for a voter holding a ration card bearing a similar name to cast the vote.''

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu

News: Front Page | National | Tamil Nadu | Andhra Pradesh | Karnataka | Kerala | New Delhi | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary | Updates: Breaking News |

Stories in this Section

• Many Karur voters disappointed
• Inhospitable terrain won't deter them
• Highest polling in Periyakulam, Theni Assembly segments
• No major incident in Pudukottai
• Dispute over water sharing delays voting
• 53.33 per cent in Sivakasi constituency
• Ryots planning to raise gingelly crop

Copyright © 2004, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu