Overview
- A young mother in Thrissur was blocked from voting for hours on Thursday after a presiding officer at the Kurkancheri booth insisted she remove the bandage on her injured left index finger.
- She arrived around 1:30 pm with medical documents showing 15 stitches from a mixer accident, yet staff declined to ink another finger despite guidance that alternatives are allowed when no prior mark is evident.
- The standoff ended near 6:15 pm when Chief Electoral Officer Rathan U. Khelkar directed officials to let her vote after verifying her identity and recording a signed declaration that she had not voted elsewhere.
- The dispute drew on-site protests led by CPI leader V. S. Sunil Kumar, as the presiding officer insisted on written orders even after advice from the Returning Officer and district officials.
- Election authorities signaled a review of the conduct at the booth, focusing on how staff handle exceptional medical cases and what changes to training or supervision may prevent repeats.