THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : The voter’s slip for India’s first general elections in 1951 were almost like a mini election manifesto. Unlike today, they were extremely elaborate.
An image of a voter information slip from the erstwhile Malabar showing two bullocks carrying a yoke, the original election symbol of the Congress, in effect lists out the poll promises of the grand old party.
A voter’s slip addressed to Pattassery Unnooli of Thamarassery carries information about the candidates contesting in three elections — Congress stalwart K Madhava Menon to the Madras assembly, N Veliyan contesting in a reservation constituency to the Madras assembly and P P Ummer Koya to the parliament.
The slip even says the party’s plan for the country has been enlisted in the election notification and the five-year plan. It also bears an assurance from the candidates they will follow the party discipline for the welfare of the nation, along with the polling booth’s name.
Jawaharlal Nehru’s quote at the end, “In these dangerous situations, I am well aware that the Congress is the only institution that could guide the country,” made it ‘a slip of information’ for voters.