I probably wouldn't have bothered about it but the last time I voted (was it in 2009?) the guy who examined my voter ID card at the booth had told me that the card has expired. I had no idea that the card can expire - after all it does not have any expiry date mentioned on it. But he had allowed me to vote and it was all that mattered. I had forgotten all about it till I saw the ads in the newspapers that asked the populace to visit the Voter's Help Centers for any change in the voter ID cards or for getting a new one made. Still, I could not make myself go to one because I dreaded the setup - a room in some municipal school, 7-8 desks manned by bored-looking government employees, a crowd of harassed public running from pillar to post with a bunch of documents and unbearable stifling heat. No way!
But then I had to make sure I would be able to vote in the upcoming elections. So I mustered up every ounce of courage I didn't know I had and headed for the nearst center with whatever documents (and copies!) I could lay my hands on - PAN card, existing voter ID card, domicile certificate, ration card, passport & photos. A security guard at the municipal school gate directed me to the center and I stepped into the room feeling as if I am entering a dungeon full of hidden traps.
The room wasn't crowded and there was no "unbearable stifling heat" - thanks to the ceiling fans and open windows. Thank God for small mercies! I approached a guy sitting at the nearest desk (as usual, the desks weren't marked!) and showed him my voter ID card. He directed me to a lady who was sitting a couple of desks away 'she will check if your name is in the voter roll' he said helpfully. I approached the lady, she took the card from me and tapped on her desktop. She asked me my address and told me that my name was in the list but it didn't have my photo. Then she asked me to get a form - form 8 - from the nearby desk. My heart sank when I saw the number of pages in that form. 'Do I have to fill up this whole form?' I asked, mightily alarmed. 'No, no, just fill this section' the lady pointed out the relevant sections to me. 'Do you have any adhesive that I can use to stick this photo?'. 'Right there' she said.
When I approached the table that was supposed to contain the 'adhesive' I was taken aback. The bottle and the thick sticky glue in it reminded me of my childhood days when I used to accompany my maternal grandfather to the nearby post office during summer vacations. I hadn't seen it in nearly two decades and was really surprised that it was still being used. At this rate, I won't be surprised if I hear that the government is keeping a few dinosaurs tucked away somewhere just for the heck of it. :-)
I managed to stick the photo to the form without getting myself stuck to the table or the glue bottle. When I trooped back to the desk, the lady told me that I will have to submit a few documents. But when I started fishing them out of my bag, she said pointed to an unmanned table and told me that they will have to be submitted there. Of course, it was so naive of me to expect that everything will be done so soon and without any hassles! 'When is the person expected to be here?' I asked, though I knew the answer. 'He should be here in another 5 minutes'. Yeah, yeah, and I am Miss Universe!
Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to wait and die.
So I waited and waited and waited. About 15 minutes passed. Slowly, the room started to fill up as more people walked in. A knot of people formed around the table where form 8 was supposed to be submitted. A guy in front of me complained to no one in particular 'There are 2 people sitting at the other table. Why can't he come here and collect these forms? If we can inform the guy who is sitting across there, he might be able to ask him'. 'Really? then let's go' I said. The two of us approached who possibly was the in-charge of the center. When we informed him about it, he started to say something and then pointed to a guy in a cap who was walking into the room. 'There he is. He will take your forms' he said. So we came back to the table.
I got this one thing to say about this new addition to the room. He might have come late but he was a picture of efficiency - rarely seen in government employees - once he set about his work. Within minutes he instructed all who had gathered around the table as to the next step. People handed him their documents, signed where he asked them to, got the forms stamped, collected their receipts and left.
As far as I am concerned, I got off lightly. Just had to attach one copy each of the ration card and PAN card, sign at a few places and get the form stamped. I heaved a big sigh of relief as the guy tore the receipt off the form and handed it to me. Now, I don't have to think about this before January, 2014 when I can inquire at the same center and confirm that the changes have been done.
When I left, it was heartening to see that the room was almost full of people - many of them appeared to be no more than 18. I hope they are as enthusiastic about it on the voting day!
But then I had to make sure I would be able to vote in the upcoming elections. So I mustered up every ounce of courage I didn't know I had and headed for the nearst center with whatever documents (and copies!) I could lay my hands on - PAN card, existing voter ID card, domicile certificate, ration card, passport & photos. A security guard at the municipal school gate directed me to the center and I stepped into the room feeling as if I am entering a dungeon full of hidden traps.
The room wasn't crowded and there was no "unbearable stifling heat" - thanks to the ceiling fans and open windows. Thank God for small mercies! I approached a guy sitting at the nearest desk (as usual, the desks weren't marked!) and showed him my voter ID card. He directed me to a lady who was sitting a couple of desks away 'she will check if your name is in the voter roll' he said helpfully. I approached the lady, she took the card from me and tapped on her desktop. She asked me my address and told me that my name was in the list but it didn't have my photo. Then she asked me to get a form - form 8 - from the nearby desk. My heart sank when I saw the number of pages in that form. 'Do I have to fill up this whole form?' I asked, mightily alarmed. 'No, no, just fill this section' the lady pointed out the relevant sections to me. 'Do you have any adhesive that I can use to stick this photo?'. 'Right there' she said.
When I approached the table that was supposed to contain the 'adhesive' I was taken aback. The bottle and the thick sticky glue in it reminded me of my childhood days when I used to accompany my maternal grandfather to the nearby post office during summer vacations. I hadn't seen it in nearly two decades and was really surprised that it was still being used. At this rate, I won't be surprised if I hear that the government is keeping a few dinosaurs tucked away somewhere just for the heck of it. :-)
I managed to stick the photo to the form without getting myself stuck to the table or the glue bottle. When I trooped back to the desk, the lady told me that I will have to submit a few documents. But when I started fishing them out of my bag, she said pointed to an unmanned table and told me that they will have to be submitted there. Of course, it was so naive of me to expect that everything will be done so soon and without any hassles! 'When is the person expected to be here?' I asked, though I knew the answer. 'He should be here in another 5 minutes'. Yeah, yeah, and I am Miss Universe!
Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to wait and die.
So I waited and waited and waited. About 15 minutes passed. Slowly, the room started to fill up as more people walked in. A knot of people formed around the table where form 8 was supposed to be submitted. A guy in front of me complained to no one in particular 'There are 2 people sitting at the other table. Why can't he come here and collect these forms? If we can inform the guy who is sitting across there, he might be able to ask him'. 'Really? then let's go' I said. The two of us approached who possibly was the in-charge of the center. When we informed him about it, he started to say something and then pointed to a guy in a cap who was walking into the room. 'There he is. He will take your forms' he said. So we came back to the table.
I got this one thing to say about this new addition to the room. He might have come late but he was a picture of efficiency - rarely seen in government employees - once he set about his work. Within minutes he instructed all who had gathered around the table as to the next step. People handed him their documents, signed where he asked them to, got the forms stamped, collected their receipts and left.
As far as I am concerned, I got off lightly. Just had to attach one copy each of the ration card and PAN card, sign at a few places and get the form stamped. I heaved a big sigh of relief as the guy tore the receipt off the form and handed it to me. Now, I don't have to think about this before January, 2014 when I can inquire at the same center and confirm that the changes have been done.
When I left, it was heartening to see that the room was almost full of people - many of them appeared to be no more than 18. I hope they are as enthusiastic about it on the voting day!
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