One man, one vote, democracy flourishes at Kakkayam

Kozhikode, Apr 29 (UNI) Having kept polling officials on their toes for hours, the lone voter at a booth in Perambra assembly constituency, finally turned up to exercised his franchise in the afternoon today.

Cherangattu Dasan, who attained the status of a VIP for keeping the poll officials, six in number, including a policeman and a driver, engaged since yesterday, voted at the booth set up in the Office of the Assistant Engineer Kakkayam Civil Maintenance Station, atop a hillock.

Although an exact figure was not available, a polling official said the Government had to shell out thousands of rupees by way of TA/DA and transportation expenses for the employees to facilitate Dasan to exercise his democratic right and duty.

With this booth No 156 has also had the distinction of 100 per cent polling in the state.

The officials, who reached at the booth yesterday, could however, leave only in the evening because as per the Election Commission norms booths could be closed only after 1700 hrs.

The Election Commission had recently sent feelers to Dasan to exercise his franchise at another booth, 13 kms away. But the response was lukewarm as he said ''nothing will happen if I stay away from voting,'' according to sources.

The Commission cannot dictate terms either as according to stipulations, the voting centre should be within 1.5 km radius of the place of residence of a voter.

Hailing from Pambady in Kottayam district, Dasan came to Kakkayam as an employee of Charangattu estate in 1968 and now stays in the dense forest along with his five cows.

Earlier, there were 350 voters in the booth and all the others left after the estate was closed down.

According to reports Dasan's decision not to leave the place was influenced by the Estate owner, who was engaged in a legal battle to prevent a take-over bid by the Government.

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