Shreyas HS
Daijiworld Media Network—Mangalore
Bangalore, Apr 19: Even as a sizeable number of people across the state exercised their franchise on Thursday April 17, quite a few funny and not so funny incidents disrupted the electoral process for a few minutes at various polling centers.
Revanna’s peek-a-boo
In Holenarasipura, when former Prime Minister and Lok Sabha candidate H D Deve Gowda entered the polling booth in Paduvalahippe, his son H D Revanna closed the windows of the room. The latter had earlier requested media persons not to photograph or record videos of his father voting. Suspecting the journalists might disregard his request, he took the precaution of closing the windows.
A foul experience indeed!
An intoxicated man who came to vote, vomited on the machine at Kadumale in Hassan. The foul smell in the booth repulsed voters who began distancing themselves. Learning of the situation, the presiding officer of the booth quickly had the EVM replaced.
EVM or punching bag?
In another case, yet another drunk person smashed the EVM machine venting all his frustrations on the machine. The offender was taken into police custody. The machine was then changed and the voters pacified before the process continued.
What a fan!
A ceiling fan fitted fell on an EVM in Bidar. The machine was destroyed by the impact and the presiding officer brought in a new machine to continue the polling that was disrupted for a few hours.
Monkeying around
A few macaques thronged the polling booth in Davanagere pestering the voters. People stayed away from the place for a while fearing the primates.
Missing candidate?
The rumor that JD (S) candidate Shivanna was missing from the constituency created panic among the voters. But when media persons called Shivanna, he confirmed that he went to visit some booths to check on the facilities.
Tit for tat
Some voters boycotted polling after they found that the currency they got in exchange for voting was fake. This incident occurred at Ketanahalli village in Tumkur. The counterfeit notes were of Rs 100.
Saviours turn villains?
When the police tried to thwart an intoxicated man who was trying to enter the polling booth repeatedly even after his turn, villagers pelted stones insisting that he be allowed in. This took place at Shidlagatta in Chikkaballapur.
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