A Teacher’s Journey Through Election Duty

தேர்தல் திருவிழா எல்லாம் முடிந்து, புதிய ஆட்சியும் வந்து விட்டது. தேர்தல் என்றாலே நமக்கெல்லாம் ஒரு திருவிழாதான். இப்பெல்லாம் என்ன தேர்தல் பரபரப்பு.. வாக்குச் சீட்டு நடைமுறையில் இருந்தபோது இப்போது போல ரூல்ஸ் எல்லாம் இல்லை.. அந்த சமயத்தில் தேர்தல் வந்தால் செம ஜாலியாக இருக்கும்... அது அந்தக் காலம்.

சரி அதை விடுங்க.. நமக்கெல்லாம் ஜாலியாக இருக்கும் தேர்தல், அதை நடத்தும் அரசு ஊழியர்களுக்கு எப்படி இருக்கும்.. அதுகுறித்த தனது அனுபவத்தை இங்கு விவரித்திருக்கிறார் ஆசிரியர் வ. துர்காதேவி. வாங்க படிக்கலாம்.

This year, during the month of April, our constituency election was conducted with great responsibility and preparation. As teachers, we were entrusted with the democratic duty of ensuring that the election process was carried out smoothly and orderly. Before the polling day, we attended three different training sessions conducted once every week by the election officials to understand every procedure carefully.

During the first training session, I was assigned the role of Polling Officer 3. My responsibility was to assist the Presiding Officer and carry out the duties allotted by the officials under his guidance. I carefully noted every instruction and procedure connected to the role.

However, during the second training session, an official message informed me that my designation had been changed from Polling Officer 3 to Presiding Officer. The moment I read it, a sudden wave of nervousness crossed my mind. Being a Polling Officer seemed comparatively less demanding, but the Presiding Officer carries the complete responsibility of the polling booth. Every form, every machine, and every stage of the polling process ultimately comes under the Presiding Officer’s supervision.

From that moment onward, I listened to every training session with intense concentration. I carefully learned how to handle the machines, connect the units properly, verify the forms, and manage the procedures without errors. Slowly, the responsibility that initially frightened me also began to strengthen my confidence.

During the training sessions, I met the other members of my team — Polling Officers 1, 2, and 3. Ours was a completely female team. What touched me deeply was that two of the officers were close to retirement age, and almost all of us, including me, had some form of physical health challenge. Election duty is never easy. It demands sleepless nights, long hours of work, unfamiliar surroundings, and often very limited facilities for rest.

Looking at my team members, I silently wondered how we would manage such a demanding responsibility together. Yet beneath that anxiety, there was also an unspoken determination among us.

During the third training session, some of my colleagues from school smiled and said, “You write articles about many experiences. Why don’t you write about this election duty too?” I laughed gently at the suggestion, but from that very moment, this article slowly began forming in my thoughts.

The day before the election, after receiving the official election order, I went early to the polling station because the zonal officers would arrive there to distribute the polling materials and voting machines. As the Presiding Officer, it was my responsibility to be present early, receive all the materials, and verify them carefully.

The moment I stepped into the polling station campus, I felt an unexpected sense of calmness. The place was surrounded by greenery, and the peaceful atmosphere gave me a comforting first impression. There were five polling booths functioning within the campus, and fortunately, our booth had a comparatively smaller number of voters than the others.

The room allotted to us was properly ventilated, neatly maintained, and had tiled flooring. In the middle of the intense summer heat, even these small comforts felt like a blessing.

As evening progressed, we carefully arranged the polling materials and verified every item without mistakes. Since the entire process is observed closely by officials, political agents, and the public, we remained extremely cautious throughout every stage.

That night, we worked continuously till nearly one o’clock in the morning. Several forms, registers, and official procedures had to be completed before polling day itself. By the time we finished the preliminary work, exhaustion had already settled into our bodies. Yet there was hardly any time left for proper sleep because the mock poll procedures had to begin early in the morning.

We rested only for a few hours. Early the next morning, a kind lady from a nearby house helped all the polling officers from the surrounding booths by giving us tea. That simple cup of tea felt incredibly refreshing and gave us both mental relief and renewed energy to begin the long day ahead. Even now, I remember that small act of kindness with gratitude.

By 5:30 a.m., we began the mock poll procedures, and by 7:00 a.m., the actual polling officially commenced.

Thankfully, the polling process moved smoothly throughout the day. There were a few minor arguments between voters and party agents, but nothing escalated into serious disturbance. The atmosphere remained largely peaceful.

As the hours passed, the physical strain slowly became visible among my team members. Since two officers were nearing retirement age and facing health difficulties, I frequently moved between my table and theirs, helping them whenever necessary. Throughout the day, I kept circulating between the Presiding Officer’s table and the other polling tables, ensuring that the work continued without interruption.

Though physically exhausting, that experience also revealed the silent strength carried by many women who continue to perform their responsibilities despite personal discomfort and health challenges.

By night, the zonal officers arrived to verify all the forms, machines, and polling procedures. At that moment, I was under extreme tension because many forms had to be submitted properly filled without mistakes. While checking the forms, we suddenly discovered that one important form was missing. For a few anxious moments, my heart was filled with fear and tension.

Thankfully, we had extra blank copies available. I quickly filled the form again with great care and nervousness. Fortunately, all the other forms had already been completed correctly earlier itself. After thoroughly checking everything, the zonal officers received the voting machines and the remaining election materials from us.

Only after handing over everything properly did we finally leave the polling station.

I reached home around 10:30 that night, physically exhausted but mentally relieved. Despite all the fear, tension, sleeplessness, and uncertainty, our all-women team had successfully completed the responsibility entrusted to us.

While my personal election duty concluded that night, the larger political atmosphere across the state had only begun to intensify.

Nearly twenty days later, the election results were announced, and the political atmosphere of Tamil Nadu entered a phase of intense discussion and uncertainty. For decades, the state’s politics had largely revolved around two dominant political fronts. But this election witnessed a strong triangular contest that drew enormous public attention.

A relatively new political party emerged prominently and eventually formed the government with alliance support after several rounds of political discussions and procedural developments. For weeks, television channels continuously flashed breaking news updates. Alliances shifted rapidly, political statements changed every hour, and the public followed each development with growing curiosity.

In all my years of observing elections, I had never witnessed such an intense period of political turbulence and public attention.

Yet amidst all the uncertainty, I noticed one meaningful change that deeply impressed me.

People who had once shown little interest in politics suddenly began discussing governance seriously. Youngsters started observing political developments closely. Ordinary citizens who once limited themselves only to voting began speaking about ministers, administration, economic policies, laws, and the functioning of government institutions.

Many people had started asking questions, analysing decisions, and trying to understand how governments actually function. To me, this growing awareness among the public felt like the most positive outcome of the entire election season.

Democracy becomes truly meaningful not only when people cast their votes, but also when they begin to observe, question, understand, and participate consciously in public affairs.

As I look back today, this election remains unforgettable to me — not merely because of the responsibility I carried as a Presiding Officer, but because it allowed me to witness both the silent dedication of ordinary election workers and the awakening political awareness of common people.

Some experiences leave behind more than memories.

They leave behind understanding.

(About the Author: Durgadevi V, Graduate Teacher, GHS Nesal, Tiruvannamalai District)