‘Well-organised process’: Pune celebrities share polling experience, speak about need to vote

While most celebrities of Pune gave high marks to the organisation of the election process in Pune, there were hiccups to note as well.

Screen and stage veteran Dr Mohan Agashe noticed that there was a bigger crowd in the morning than the last elections. “The process was smooth at my centre, MES Bal Shikshan Mandir Primary School, Bhandarkar Road, except that I find that a lot of names are missing, among them my sister’s and my friend’s. Names of people who have been voting for many years are missing. It’s hard to understand what the system is and how they prepare lists. What I want to know is, ‘What exactly is a democracy? It is where an individual voter is educated to the level where they can independently think and vote. What is the percentage of people in our country who have been educated and cultured to that level?’ If you want a genuine democracy, you have to first educate people and, before you educate people, you have to assure them basic survival, which is affordable and accessible. We cannot go on the opium of promises,” he told The Indian Express after casting his vote.

Aditya Shetty, owner of the restaurant, Tian-The Oriental Kitchen, represents the business owners who made sure that a busy schedule did not come in the way of casting their ballots. “From the parking to the classrooms, everything was quick and well-organised. I was encouraged to see a lot of young people at my centre at Dhole Patil Road. I know the candidates who are trying to make a difference. I have always made it a point to be a good citizen and go out and vote,” he said.

Cricketer Shubhangi Kulkarni said she was pleasantly surprised that in the morning at her centre, Aditya English Medium School, “right from the watchman to the official volunteers, everybody was very helpful in directing people to where they have to go and what the process was like”.

“I had gone by myself and a policeman told me that I would not be allowed to take my bag inside. When I said that I had come alone, he said, ‘You can keep the bag on this chair. I’m here and there is nothing to worry about’. I did so and went and voted and, 10 minutes later, I was back. Last time was quite easy but this time, I thought, was even easier,” she added.

“The people at the tables were very helpful and arrangements were made for elderly people if they had difficulty walking. They could bring their cars close to the door,” Kulkarni said.

Former commissioner of police for Pune and the first woman police commissioner of the city Meeran Chadha Borwankar, who has settled down in Delhi after retirement, made sure she kept her roots in the city intact as well as not lose her right to exercise her vote.

On Sunday Borwankar flew down from Delhi to Pune just to cast her vote. “I flew in from Delhi last evening to cast my precious vote and I fly back tomorrow. To my mind I have a right to discuss the situation in the country for the next five years only if I vote,” said the former top cop.

Nandkishore Kapote, Kathak dancer, too, said that though he had gone around 10.30 am, he found that his centre, Pimpri Chinchwad Corporation School in Rupeenagar, was crowded but very well organised. “I was done in five to 10 minutes. There were a large number of people coming to vote, including some really old people and specially-abled people. Kamal laga. There was a high police presence so we all felt very safe,” he said.

Industrialist Adar Poonawala put up the mandatory post- a photo of him showing his stained finger on social media and said, “Today, I cast my vote as a proud citizen of this great nation. I urge all those eligible to do the same and exercise your democratic right and responsibility for India’s growth and future.”

A similar sentiment was shared by Aditya Shetty, owner of the restaurant, Tian-The Oriental Kitchen, ” Today, I cast my vote as a proud citizen of this great nation. I urge all those eligible to do the same and exercise your democratic right and responsibility for India’s growth and future.”