TIRUPPUR: An 88-year-old woman was allowed to cast a tendered vote after someone else had already cast her vote. A tendered vote is resorted to in case of disputes or identity theft. It is cast on ballot papers which are kept sealed and taken up for counting.
The issue happened at booth No. 311 at the Panchayat Union Primary School in the Karuppa Goundampalayam area in the Palladam Assembly constituency in Tiruppur district.
Local sources say when K Rajammal, a resident of Thirukumaran Nagar in Veerapandi, presented her Voter ID to the officials before casting her vote, she was told her vote had already been cast.
Shocked, Rajammal handed over her documents to polling officials and complained stating that she had not yet cast her vote. The officials then considered her request and gave her the opportunity to cast a tendered vote.
S Saravanan, Returning Officer of the constituency, said, "Sometimes this is likely to happen. That's why the ECI has given this option. The old woman's request was considered and she was allowed a tendered vote. Her ballot will be counted during the vote count."
"Officials will not know all the voters. Alos, facial features on the Voter ID need not match with the person athe booth. In such situations officials are likely to make mistakes. However, the booth agents of parties know all the voters. They can inform the officials. Polling in the Palladam constituency went smoothly," he added.
Meanwhile, M Subramanian (66) of Surya Nagar in the Tiruppur South Assembly constituency could not vote as his vote had already been cast by someone else. He had arrived at Booth No:118 near his home in a wheelchair as he has a spinal cord injury.
He demanded the officials to investigate the matter.
MP Amith, Corporation Commissioner and Returning Officer of the constituency, said, "Under the current circumstances, it is not possible to investigate this matter immediately. But it will certainly be investigated. At the same time, if he demanded, he would have been allowed to cast a tendered vote."