Polling booth debate: Tension for condos, many fear violation of secrecy, vote sanctity
Times of India | 11 January 2026
Kolkata: The recent decision to consider 69 high-rise residential complexes as polling booths has triggered a cautious debate among residents of the high-rises. Many felt setting up polling booths on their campuses will ease voting pains but they also felt this will be a violation of the secrecy and sanctity of votes.
The residents' welfare associations, which agreed to get polling booths on their campus in Nov, are contemplating withdrawal of their consent; otherwise, the political preferences of the condos would be disclosed. However, most of them also stated that they will comply with all the EC anf govt directives.
Jayesh Kumar Jha, president of Sunrise Towers Apartment, told TOI: "We will comply with anything that is mandatory. But no resident wants to get caught in the crossfire between the Centre and the ECI and the state govt."
A polling booth on the campus will be helpful, but residents' polling preferences will not remain confidential, thinks Ashok Baid, an RWA member of Silver Spring Housing Complex. "If the EC makes it mandatory for us to have a polling booth on the campus, we will abide by the directive. Our complex has about 700-800 voters," said Baid.
A resident of a high-rise in New Town's Action Area 1 cautioned that such booths could compromise the sanctity of the vote. "It will help political parties identify which party received more votes in which complex. At a later stage, this might make residents a political target," said Roshni Saha, a resident of the complex.
In Kankurgachi, a member warned of political overreach. "Elections are messy. Representatives of various political parties may seek unhindered access to the complex. This could unnecessarily drag residents into a political tug-of-war," said the resident.
Logistical issues were highlighted by a housing society member along the Southern Bypass. "Complexes may be asked to provide space for polling staff and paramilitary forces. Many societies lack such space. Who will take responsibility for clean-up and repairs?"
EC officials conceded that residents of housing societies are showing reluctance to have polling booths. "The number of votes cast for a party can be known if a polling booth comes up in a housing complex. Many residents fear that their political preferences will be identified," said an EC official.
Deb Ranjan Mukherjee, an RWA member of Uttara Complex in New Town, said, "We are planning to give our consent because this will benefit elderly residents." Tarun Kumar Basu, assistant secretary of the RWA at Urbana, added, "We have a meeting with residents on Sunday. If we are asked for a polling booth on the campus, we will follow it."