Several polling centres on one compound slow down voting process
Tuesday, 30 December 2008
Many voters in a good number of city polling centres voiced deep annoyance for lack of proper voting arrangements, including setting up of several polling centres on one compound, which virtually slowed down the voting process, reports UNB.
"I'm getting back home without casting my vote, as I found me in a fix in which centre I'll actually vote," said Ripon, a 23-year-old frustrated first-time voter, at Nakhalpara Hossain Ali High School that got five polling centres on its compound.
While visiting the centres, the correspondent found many voters running from one floor to another to cast their votes as no one could exactly tell them where to cast their votes as they found their serial numbers getting duplicated with others for having five centres on one compound.
The five polling centres were set up with five presiding officers.
When contacted, a presiding officer of one of the centres (No-41) said this was happening for lack of coordination.
He also said he had taken measures so that the voters could identify their centres without any problem and cast their votes with little hazard.
Many voters, particularly female ones, at T&T Colony School in the city's Moghbazar area also came up with the same complaint.
Saiful Azam, in his early 40s, said, "I entered a polling room after standing in a long queue for about an hour. As I showed my voter number to a polling officer, he told me to go to another centre on the second floor of the building where I had to wait for 20 minutes more."
When contacted, Saidul Islam, presiding officer of one of the three centres, said, "Yes, many voters are facing problems due to setting up of several polling centres on one compound."
He said signs could have been used for easier identification of the centres.
"I'm getting back home without casting my vote, as I found me in a fix in which centre I'll actually vote," said Ripon, a 23-year-old frustrated first-time voter, at Nakhalpara Hossain Ali High School that got five polling centres on its compound.
While visiting the centres, the correspondent found many voters running from one floor to another to cast their votes as no one could exactly tell them where to cast their votes as they found their serial numbers getting duplicated with others for having five centres on one compound.
The five polling centres were set up with five presiding officers.
When contacted, a presiding officer of one of the centres (No-41) said this was happening for lack of coordination.
He also said he had taken measures so that the voters could identify their centres without any problem and cast their votes with little hazard.
Many voters, particularly female ones, at T&T Colony School in the city's Moghbazar area also came up with the same complaint.
Saiful Azam, in his early 40s, said, "I entered a polling room after standing in a long queue for about an hour. As I showed my voter number to a polling officer, he told me to go to another centre on the second floor of the building where I had to wait for 20 minutes more."
When contacted, Saidul Islam, presiding officer of one of the three centres, said, "Yes, many voters are facing problems due to setting up of several polling centres on one compound."
He said signs could have been used for easier identification of the centres.