A day’s work for six votes in Kunnathunad

Leprosarium inmates cast vote

April 07, 2021 01:03 am | Updated 01:03 am IST - Kochi

A tiny booth in Kunnathunad did not see any long queues on Tuesday, with a total of just six voters casting their ballot.

Nestled in a quiet spot among rubber trees at Varikoli is a leprosarium located a few metres uphill from the Kochi-Dhanushkodi national highway. There are no posters of candidates or campaign material on the deserted pathway up to this particular booth.

Four residents of the leprosarium, one member of the administrative staff at the institution, and sixth voter whose name happened to be on the list, voted at the booth. The Salvation Army runs the institution.

The Ernakulam District Information office confirmed that the booth, with 13 voters on the list, is the smallest in the district.

Of the seven names on the list who did not vote three voters have passed away and their names have not been removed, the other two are voters from outside the institution whose names are on the list, another person had deleted the name at the last moment but his name still featured on the list, and the last was a bedridden patient who couldn’t make it to the booth, said Limu E.K., receptionist at the institution and a polling official at the booth.

Though the patients had cast their vote in the morning, polling officials had to keep the booth open till the designated time to pack up. “A separate booth was set up here when the institution used to house over 200 patients who could not step outside to vote. But that number has dwindled now. Patients have either passed away or moved to other places,” said Annie Roby, the presiding officer at the booth.

Ms. Annie is also the staff nurse at the leprosarium. “Polling booth officials are usually staff members here. That is how it has been for past elections as well,” she said. Since they are required to be at the booth, staff members are often unable to cast their vote themselves, she points out. A webcasting facility was also set up at the booth for Tuesday’s polling.

Around ten patients are at the leprosarium, but only five are permanent residents. Patients who voted on Tuesday are all over 70 years old, and some have been staying at the leprosarium since childhood, says Joyce Joseph, a lab technician at the home. A hospital, also run by the Salvation Army, lies at a spot a little downhill from the leprosarium.

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