My First Vote: The Great Indian Elections

“Tring-Tring, Tran-Tran…finally a mechanical device achieved what humans near me aren’t good at…it successfully woke me, the CLOCK, as it stroked 1 P.M.”. The day was important as I had been given a special power on that HOLIday (5/4/2007). The power was of voting…yeah! I was going to vote (for the first time in 21 years). Occasion was of local civic elections (Elections for Municipal Corp. of Delhi, alias MCD).

As soon as I made myself visible to my home elders, they reminded me to go for vote. Since everybody near me had already done the faithful, I was the only eligible specie left to vote. Additional factor was the vicinity of the polling station - my polling station stands less than 100 meters from my bed…so, took one of the two polling slips (out of English/Hindi variants), my wallet, left my cell.
“Lets go and cast my first vote”…I intoned to myself.

As I reached the hotspot i.e. the polling station (neighbourhood MCD school), I pondered all around in search of humans. A taxi was parked outside the main gate, which had two policewale and the taxi driver in it (the taxi driver riveted himself to the driver’s seat, the policewale were resting on the back seat and also resting on the seat were their toys (stain-guns, shotguns, whatever they are…).

As I entered the gate (which was only 10% opened), I was welcomed by a Delhi Police constable. He had his toy (stain-gun…) strapped around his tummy, a metal detector in his hand. Slowly I proceeded towards him and slowly he proceeded towards me. Shortly our steps stopped. I expected him of frisking me and launching a dragnet of questions nut instead…

DP Constable (in natural jat accent): “mobile vobile kuch leke aaya hai ladke” (hey boy, u carrying a mobilephone?)
Me: “nahi” (no)
DP Constable: “to phir kyu aaya hai” (then what for have you come for)

Understanding his mental loneliness, I proceeded further as he permitted me to complete my adventure. I was then asked by a young constable for the slip. He escorted me to my allotted room. May, because he was young, he had the enthu towards his service.

As I entered the polling room, I saw 6-7 females (aunties) having a kitty party inside. All of them had their ‘Rainbows’ lunch packet finished and were giggling, chatting, laughing, gossiping, having pleasures of election-picnic. One of them noticed me and suddenly her goggles shifted towards me...AND bang! their picnic halted. Suddenly, the room had some unique astonishment…interception of Napoleon/ Hitler in a kitty party that too, for casting a vote.
I approached towards the desk with lot of papers on it. The goggled enabled woman then asked in her accented English “yoar neim”. I replied “Ankit Gupta”. Her adjacent bencher asked in pure Hindi “aapka phechan patra”. I didn’t had my election-id, so she became the first person to whom I radiated my license. After making me sign, striking my name in a heap of electoral list, putting a lot of ball-point-ink-type viscous liquid on my finger, I went to the secret ballot. (A line of appreciation for the kitty party – they were extremely professional).

Standing at the EVM, I saw symbols of lotus, hand, etc etc. I have seen them infinite times, but now it was different. The sense of responsibility to vote to the perfect candidate came instantaneously. Thankfully, I did the right thing…VOTED FOR WHOM, WHO HAS WORKED ;)

While walking back, I rightly analyzed how important cum fascinating INDIA’s elections are! But somehow, when I recall that unstriked names in the electoral list, I feel ashamed…Govt. gives you 24 hrs rebate from your work on a election day, and you can’t give 15 min…give a thought next time!!
Okie! Will somebody tell me, how to remove that viscous liquid from my finger (its now 2 days)…SURF, TIDE, RIN, APRIL, VIM, NIRMA or BRICK or SOIL or SOME ACID?? Cosmetic help needed…….