Many complain of deficiencies at Delhi polling stations; red carpet, flowers at model booths

As hordes of voters flocked to polling booths in the city Sunday, many complained of deficient measures and laxity on the part of the Election Commission in the conduct of polls, while red carpets were rolled out for a lucky few. While model polling stations in the city greeted voters with flowers, had waiting areas with sofas, wheelchairs and ramps for the specially-abled, in far-off corners of the national capital people lined up at water taps of schools to quench their thirst.

Owais, a 19-year-old first-time voter who frantically scoured the premises of a government school in Nangloi trying to find his name on the electoral list, said, "No one helped me. It's been over half an hour and I am thirsty now. They should have at least made some arrangements for drinking water." As plumes of dust blew into their face, block level officers at a school complained they were asked to sit under a tree.

"No tents or coolers for us. We have had nothing since morning, barring a cup of tea. This is how we are being treated... the condition of voters is even worse," one of them said. Volunteers at another polling station complained they were not provided lunch. "We were told that lunch will be provided at the booth itself. We did not bring food from home and cannot even leave this place to have lunch during voting hours."

At a model polling station in Janakpuri, volunteers welcomed voters with flowers, offered them water and helped the differently-abled cast their vote. "They have decked up the premises with balloons and paper frills. It's so appealing to the eyes. There are water, sofas and volunteers... everything that you need," Avinash Agarwal, 73, said.

Samvit, 26, said it was the first time he had come to a model polling station and it took him only five minutes to cast his vote. "A volunteer guided me to the polling room... completely hassle-free. I was amazed when I saw the red carpet, sofas and coolers for voters. These shows were are moving forward as a nation," he said.

Polling was held for all seven Lok Sabha seats on Sunday in the national capital, which witnessed a triangular contest between the BJP, the Congress and the ruling Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)