Many South Bangaloreans waited in queue for hours in front of polling stations, only to return home without casting votes as their names were missing from the voters' list.
A Lakshmana, a 65-year-old retired KSRTC employee who lives next to Government Model Primary School at Yediyur, said he has been casting his vote at the school ever since he turned 18. "I have not missed a single election so far. Out of 12 voters at home, only my name was missing from the list (this time). I have my (voter ID) card, but what is the use?" he said.
Kundan Jain, a resident of Basavanagudi, got to cast his vote but his wife Susheela's name was not on the voters' list. "She has a voter ID card. In fact, she voted in the last Assembly election. But this time, her name is missing. On what basis have they deleted her name?" he asked. He said many voters from his street couldn't vote as their names were missing from the list. He said he plans to file a public interest petition on the matter in the High Court.
Angry Voter Protests
At Vasavi Educational Trust, a polling station at JP Nagar, a voter who suffered a similar plight agitated by sitting near the ballot box and blocking other voters from exercising their franchise. One of the voters present at the booth said: "He argued that if he cannot vote, he will not let others vote. He sat there for more than 15 minutes before two policemen sent him outside."
When Chaitra, a housewife, came to vote at Lakshmidevi Ramanna High School near Ramamandir in Chamarajpet, she was told by the polling staff that the number in her voter ID card was different from that in the list. "So they didn't allow me to vote."
Amulya Nagaraj, a photographer whose name was not listed at her polling station (NSVK School, Jayanagar), said: "All my family members' names were there except mine. Interestingly, one of our neighbours who had passed away around two years ago was listed."