Patna: Tensions flared at a polling station in Patna on Thursday during the first phase of Bihar’s assembly elections, after two women were prevented from casting their votes due to the absence of voter slips. The incident occurred at the Veterinary College booth, notable as the voting site for political heavyweights including Lalu Prasad, Rabri Devi, Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, and Rajshree Yadav.
The two women, who had arrived to vote, said they were denied slips by the Block Level Officer (BLO), despite Election Commission guidelines mandating that every voter be provided one. Young first-time voter Shreya described the experience as “disheartening,” telling reporters: “I’ve been waiting to vote since morning, but the BLO didn’t give me a slip. Even the digitally downloaded slip wasn’t accepted. This is the system in Bihar. People come to vote, and the system stops them.”
Election officials intervened at the scene, resolving the immediate issues and allowing voting to continue. However, the incident has raised concerns over the organisation and efficiency of the voting process, particularly at a booth frequented by high-profile politicians. Local voters questioned the state of arrangements in more remote areas, noting that if such problems occur at a VIP booth, challenges are likely even greater in rural constituencies.
