[mathewanil]

An ounce of dignity, please!

Oh! horror of horrors,
They pulled us over.
A van with cops who
Looked us over.

On that lane,
One came over.
He tapped my pane,
Wanted it lower.

He said something
That I couldn’t hear.
“Search her!” they said!
I choked in fear.

Right there in the open,
No shade or cover.
I did pray that,
This’d be over.

He put his hand
Inside my boot.
He was thorough,
Looked for loot.

No more young
My joints were weak.
They’d lost their spring
And now they creak.

There were three,
With a camera on.
One frisked me,
And another looked on.

They found few tools,
And then some more.
He liked tinkering,
And now they’d know.

To my horror,
They found the bag.
Tied as a bundle,
With a rag.

Money! they thought,
Notes in stacks.
“Sums” they’d brought
In many packs.

A good haul day,
‘T was going to be.
A raise in pay,
Ev’n a medal, maybe!

The bag was opened,
And their faces fell.
Old frayed books!
Just, packed so well.

Old and musty, but
No “notes” to spare.
All my pockets,
Empty and bare.

A lady cop,
Who did not ask.
Leaned into me,
To open a clasp

Her sweaty hands
Were not too kind.
Shades and hair-bands
Were all she’d find.

My eyes were dim,
And filled with fear.
I wiped my glasses
But they didn’t clear.

I didn’t budge,
Though I wanted to.
It felt like brakes
Were on my shoes.

And just like that,
They waved us on.
I just blinked,
And he nudged me on.

Blaring horns, drowned
My Fear and shame.
And here I thought;
“Was I to blame?”

I could barely hear,
Their voices low.
“Elections” they said,
“That big bad row”

Unaccounted cash
Is what they want.
A big newsflash
And a tale to flaunt.

Votes that count
On a day that’s crazy.
But, here they’re bought
For demo……..cracy

Who can question,
“What is fair?”
I’m just a car,
And I wouldn’t dare!


“How my car felt after being body searched during the run-up to our national elections”

[GTO]

Originally Posted by mathewanil

An ounce of dignity, please!

Post moved out to its own thread (again!). Gone to our homepage today . Thanks for sharing.

[dicor]

I am close to someone who works at a higher rank in EC. The EC does everything it can to find us black money spent during elections.

During the election season, a large amount of cash, gifts, and alcohol are in transit.

The cars delivering these products do not have signboards; they often stop cars for which a tip has been paid, but they also stop random cars and, in addition to searching, keep an eye on the driver's expression.
As citizens of India, we should cooperate rather than be frightened. If nothing is found, they will let us go.

Worryingly, the EC can impound any car for electoral responsibilities, and there is little anyone can do about it right now. In general, they do not confiscate small automobiles, but 7-seater utility vehicles (usually yellow number plates) to transport election commission staff (Nodal officers, polling officers, booth workers, security forces, etc.).

There is also a provision for paying the owners for this use.

During election season, one should avoid travelling in large SUVs such as the Scorpio, Innova, and Bolero, as these are their preferred vehicles.

[ashis89]

On a recent trip last week, my car was stopped 8 times for checking.

First time, it was 6:30AM and there were only 2 staffs at the checkpoint. They asked my wife where we were going, noted the car number and let us go.

Second time, it was around 11am and it was an internal state highway. Must have 6-7 people including a lady police staff. Asked my wife to open the glove box. Then asked me to unlock the boot and then they rummaged through our luggage for a few seconds. Clicked a picture of it, noted car number, took my phone number and asked where we came from and heading to.

Third time, it was 12PM and state highway. 6-7 people including a lady staff who got the trip details from my wife. Another guy asked me to step out and unlock the boot. Then asked me the contents of each of the bags. Clicked a picture and then we were off.

Fourth time, it was 3PM and 4 people. They asked for the trip details, contact number and if we were carrying any alcohol. Clicked picture and let us go.

Fifth time, it was 10AM and there were 5 people including a lady staff. She collected trip details from my wife while I showed the boot contents. There was a camera bag and a small backpack which I was asked to open to show the contents. The car's rear sunshades were up all through the trip and this time they peered into the car as well.

Sixth time, it was 4PM at the GA state border with 8 cops and they asked where I was coming from. I explained that I had been to Btalbhatti for lunch and returning to Karwar, the place of stay. They let me go without any further questions.

Seventh time, it was around 2PM when 7-8 people who were checking a white Fortuner thoroughly and flagged us down. Got the trip details from my wife and checked the glove box. They asked the service booklet bag to be opened. Then asked me to open the boot. Asked me to open each bag individually and show its contents. Then asked me to lift the boot floor tray. Next asked me to open the rear doors and show the contents of 2 laptop bags and 1 camera bag. Satisfied they let us go after clicking a picture.

Last one was within Bangalore when I was on my way to the vegetable market on a Sunday. A soft drink bottle was left in the car after returning the previous night from the trip. The cop asked me if it was beer. I handed him the bottle and told it was a caffeinated drink, sealed bottle. Then I unlocked the boot and they clicked a picture. They took my number and let me go.


All this happened on different days and different parts of KA. It was never a problem on any of the instance. They were polite and so were we.

[ABHI_1512]

Officials doing what they were told to
With a clear line to adhere to
Stop they will have to
If they find a reason to

It is not about we hear
It’s the harassment that we fear
Often nothing is but all clear
Brings a magical relief from all the glare

Travelling during the elections is fun
Authorities looking for some monetary sum
We the common man have nothing but pun
It’s the journey that always throws you a bun.

[anjan_c2007]

I am not very good at poetry, pardon me like the OP or post #5. And if I pen down some unreadable poem, I may need an hour or so to make it acceptable as a post, lest it gets deleted.

Back to prose, I was one exiting my office main gate. An election procession of a national party candidate with at least 15 plus cars/SUV's and dozens of two wheelers was zipping past the road outside my office main gate. I waited for the last trailing vehicle to zip past by. And then, as I drove just after the last trailing vehicle following it, I found some government engaged videographers recording the whole procession and focusing the camera on each car's number plate. Bikes were perhaps exempted, like they are for toll tax. My SUV by its appearance, could have
provided adequate hints of its being a part of this procession. It's front number plate alongwith the SUV were videographed. I waited for days to get something requiring my reply from the local EC office, but no ! Nothing happened.

Else, if something requiring my reply did come, there's an apt Hindi adage "aa bayal mujhe maar", that could be invoked!

( "aa bayal mujhe maar" means that some person for no reason is soliciting a bull to come and hit him)

[saubi2299]

Originally Posted by anjan_c2007

And then, as I drove just after the last trailing vehicle following it, I found some government engaged videographers recording the whole procession and focusing the camera on each car's number plate. Bikes were perhaps exempted, like they are for toll tax. My SUV by its appearance, could have
provided adequate hints of its being a part of this procession. It's front number plate alongwith the SUV were videographed. I waited for days to get something requiring my reply from the local EC office, but no ! Nothing happened.

Else, if something requiring my reply did come, there's an apt Hindi adage "aa bayal mujhe maar", that could be invoked!

( "aa bayal mujhe maar" means that some person for no reason is soliciting a bull to come and hit him)

This videography is done to assess the expenditure done by each candidate in their rallies. During the public rallies, each chair is counted and accordingly expenditure incurred is calculated. This is all the part of elections and Expenditure Observers are duly appointed to oversee all this.

[handsofsteel]

Originally Posted by anjan_c2007

I am not very good at poetry, pardon me like the OP or post #5. And if I pen down some unreadable poem, I may need an hour or so to make it acceptable as a post, lest it gets deleted.


( "aa bayal mujhe maar" means that some person for no reason is soliciting a bull to come and hit him)

Soliciting?
More like inviting or, at best, inciting

[Vinod_nair]

It's Election Festival Season, many hilarious episodes and serious issues will come up.

The other night me and my wife were coming back home after a hearty dinner date, and good I had taken my Nano.

I slowed down seeing police bandobast and checking, was told to get my car checked, started moving to the curb, and the johnny shouted to his colleagues, isme dicky nahi hoti hai (mine is the OTG varient), jaiye saheb, we both chuckled and scooted.

[rajesh1868]

During my weekly travels, I get stopped for searching on the AP/Karnataka border. Last week, I was asked if I could drop one of their staff to Bangalore where I was heading and I agreed. He was from the Central Tax Vigilance team. He was saying not just cash, liquor, and small gifts. They have even caught furniture and other large appliances which were being transported specifically as gifts for votes.

[Lalvaz]

Lovely poem, you have a flair for poetry. Would like to read more of your poems, if possible. Thank you for sharing this as of now.

[Zippy_wheels]

Was stopped in MP at the start of this month. They asked me to open the boot. The boot was packed. They asked me to open a couple of bags and show. I started with the laptop bag and they decided not to check further. They asked me if I was carrying cash - I said no (who carries cash anyways these days?) I was on my way again when I realized I was carrying cash. Not a lot - about 15-16k but then I did not know how much was the threshold. I also did not have a good, clean explanation for the cash (like no withdrawal receipt or such). Thank god they did not search further, may have wasted some time, trying to explain I was not affiliated to any party and was just on a vacation. Or maybe they could seize the cash and I had to either explain and get it from court or let it go? Really dont know. Note to self - no cash from here on.

[dailydriver]

Compelled to play the devil's advocate here.

Disclaimer: I am an interested party - having performed almost all poll related roles at different points of my career as a government servant.

The babus conducting the checking are typical government servants - the chief of the team being a group B officer and the rest group C officials. The former, in most cases, is a lecturer or equivalent. The sole custodian of the group is either a homeguard or a police constable - unarmed! The cameraman is an outsourced personnel.

The stationary squad works in three shifts of eight hours each: the 10pm-6am graveyard shift being the toughest. They are expected to check every vehicle passing through the checkpost. Higher officials do conduct surprise inspections by driving past in private vehicles. The penalty for not checking properly begins and ends with immediate suspension pending enquiry. That is why sometimes we find the officials being overzealous.

The flying squad keeps moving around in jeeps and responds to claims/allegations of electoral malpractices. They too function in three shifts and are often seen sifting through copters and luxury barges carrying the political bigwigs.

Truth be told, elections are a logistical nightmare for the government. While the top echelons are under constant supervision of the ECI, the lesser minions constantly keep performing under duress - it is a matter of survival for everyone.

There isn't an iota of doubt that elections are occasions for government employees to repay their debts to the nation. However, it behoves the common man to understand that the polling staff works under immense pressure and deserve a bit of empathy too.

[am1m]

Originally Posted by dailydriver

Disclaimer: I am an interested party - having performed almost all poll related roles at different points of my career as a government servant.

Sir, I've enjoyed reading your posts in different sections of the forum. And now that I know you are part of the team that enables the smooth functioning of such an essential part of our democracy, my respect has grown.

Any information that you would be willing to share, would make for an invaluable thread. (Of course, only information that you are comfortable sharing.) Any learning from your time spent in poll-related roles. Any thoughts on the workings of a democracy.

For most of my life, voting was something that just happened, I'm keen to learn more. Thanks in advance!