Kollegal:  Election is a festival of Indian democracy.. voting is a sacred duty… anyone who is 18 years and older should vote without any excuses…. Not casting vote is not only a responsibility but also a moral obligation…. Voting awareness campaign has been held…

We usually hear these phrases from Election Commission during every election. After Indian independence since 1947 we have had numerous elections; Lok Sabha, Vidhan Sabha, Zilla Panchayat, Taluk Panchayat, Gram Panchayat.  But, here we find a Tribal Woman, aged 35 years, who has never cast her vote in her life! She is not even aware of the term Voting and so she and her husband have never voted in their lifetime. Raaji (Rajamma), tribal woman, from Gullada Bayalu village belonging to Huttur Gram Panchayat  in Hanur constituency is the one who is not cognisant of this moral obligation.

Election Commission and district administration is making all efforts to create awareness among public to cast their votes and increase voting turnout and is spending crores of rupees during every election season.  But this incidence shows that its efforts have not resulted in reaching hearts of many such people. Rajamma says ‘I do not have any document’ if you ask her why she has not voted yet.

She does not have voter’s identity card, Aadhar card, ration card or any other documents.  She is living with her husband, Guru, two sons and a daughter and does not own a house. “My husband works as a bonded labour for Odeyara Palya’s zamindar from the last 10 years, he leaves the house by 5 am and returns after 9 pm, even he has not voted in his entire life and does not have any document,” says Rajamma.  Her husband has been a bonded labour from decades, does not own a house, so has not been benefited by the Government, says villagers. Government is spending a lot to bring tribal people to mainstream. Government’s subsidy and schemes are not reaching proper beneficiaries as is evident from this family’s woes.