St. Anthony’s School in Kalina is at present an oasis of calm with no hint of the high-level activity that will take place here on Monday. No hint, that is, except for the seven make-shift polling stations, neatly constructed on the ground of the school.
There is also a separate place allotted for the police. The school compound is clean, in contrast with the area behind the school, which is dirty and unmanaged with an entire footpath blocked with debris. In the previous years, the school had opened its classroom doors on the first three floors for polling This is the first time that there are specially erected polling stations on the ground which were built two days ago.
Meanwhile, at the market of Vakola, nothing seems to be out of the ordinary with people going about their daily tasks. The general expectation of the upcoming election is pretty similar.
One of their biggest expectations is that people receive their voter id before the election.
This is something many have given up hope for. “I have applied many times but have not received it yet. I have lodged complaints at the Shiv Sena party office but they don’t seem to care much if I vote or not”, says local resident Apeksha Rodia.
She is not the only voter to have overlooked. Another student who did not wish to be named, expressed a similar problem. A teacher from a prominent school in Bandra gives a thumbs up and hopes for the best from the upcoming elections and overall development of the country. She also concludes humorously, “Can’t say anything negative about the government since I am a teacher”.
Written by Journalism students Ananya Endow & Nitya Narasimhan
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