Karnataka   

Elders make their choice

KOLAR: Their body might be bent, their voice may be feeble, their vision may be falling, but their spirit is indomitable. They have a strong belief in democracy.

The first phase of State Assembly elections on Saturday saw the strength and spirit of the world’s largest democracy when scores of senior citizens went to the polling booth defying the blazing sun and other odds in Kolar and Chickballapur districts.

Eramma, aged about 100 and popularly known as Erajji in the area, cast her vote at a polling booth in Narasapur in Kolar Assembly Constituency. Kempanna, a farmer aged 75, also cast his vote in the same booth. Nallamma (80) and Subbamma (90) are the two other senior citizens who came to poling booth at Hanumanthanapalya in Srinivaspur segment with the help of their grandsons to vote.

Mr. Kempanna said: “I have voted in all the elections held after Independence.” However, he was a bit desperate about the situation despite the change of governments and change in representatives of people. “The poor have remained the poor and the rich have grown richer. There is no change in the life of poor at all,” he added.

Enthusiasm was evident among Muslim women. Burkha clad women were seen standing in big queues since morning at Darvesh Mohalla in Kolar and Chintamani circle polling booths in Srinivaspur.

As security forces were keeping a close watch on the proceedings, a bandh like situation prevailed at Srinivaspur, notorious for its poll-related violence. Except one or two minor incidents, polling was peaceful on Saturday.

Additional Superintendent of Police K. Yallappa rushed to Hanumanthapalya on information that some people were obstructing voters of a dalit colony. Mr. Yellappa told The Hindu that it was a false alarm.

There was discontent among hundreds of voters in several places when they did not find their names in the voters’ list. Tahasildar had to pacify hundreds of voters at Kondashettihalli in Malur who were protesting over absence of their names in the electoral list. Veena, a young woman, expressed disgust over not finding her name in the list when she went to vote at a booth in Narsapur.

Usman Sharief, a resident of Kyalanur, complained that hundreds of names of minority community voters were not found in the list.

While it was the practice to provide liquor and other things to lure voters, a unique practice of distributing “tambulam” to the voters was the scene at some places like Doddaganjur and Muttakadahalli in Chintamani segment. Functionaries of the Janata Dal (Secular) were seen giving tambulam to the voters.

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