One voter dies while waiting for the ambulance after he fell unconscious, waiting in the queue in scorching sun to cast his vote
Team Clarion
NEW DELHI- The Lok Sabha elections in Delhi concluded yesterday with a voter turnout of only 53.73% by 5 pm. Despite the low turnout, long queues were seen at many polling centres, especially in Muslim-majority areas.
Clarion India spoke to voters who were frustrated with the slow pace of voting while standing in long queues in the scorching sun. As per them the slow pace of voting was a major issue due to which people suffered, while standing in long queues in the intense heat.
Meanwhile, an elderly voter collapsed and died while waiting to cast his vote. Muhammad Atiq, a 65-year-old resident of Koocha Pandit, was standing in line at Ajmeri Gate’s Gali Bansi coila wali when he fell unconscious due to the intense heat. He was rushed to Lok Nayak Jay Prakash Hospital in a battery rickshaw after the ambulance did not arrive on time where doctors declared him brought dead.
Former Delhi government minister Haroon Yusuf called out the current administration and the Election Commission for the slow voting process, which he said caused a significant discomfort for voters. “The people are out in the streets against the oppression of the present government and are demanding change. That’s why they are voting even in such extreme heat,” Yusuf said. He blamed the Election Commission for not making better arrangements and called for faster voting to prevent such incidents.
Ameer Ahmad Raja, a local resident who is witness to the incident, recounted, “Muhammad Atiq’s condition worsened before reaching the EVM machine. He collapsed, and we kept waiting for an ambulance which never came and then we had to take him to the hospital ourselves where he was declared dead.”
Voters raised concerns about the efficiency and preparedness of the polling centres, questioning how the Election Commission handled the election day. As the day ended with low turnout and tragedy, calls for better management and accountability in future elections are likely to increase.
