Ballot box falls into canal as boat carrying poll officials capsizes in Kuttanad

Edathua: A tense moment unfolded in Kuttanad on Tuesday when a country boat carrying election officials capsized during home voting, sending a ballot box into a canal. However, all officials jumped to safety, and no one was injured.

The accident happened around 4 pm near Puthuval Mukkodi in Edathua. The boatman quickly dived in and retrieved the ballot box. Election officer P N Ani said the box was opened and checked, and the ballot papers were found intact.

The officials were on their way to homes in two booths in the Kuttanad constituency as part of the home voting drive for voters above 85 years and those with over 40 per cent disability. A total of 19 votes from booths 145 and 146 were scheduled to be recorded that day. After recording 18 votes, the team was heading by boat to record the 19th when the accident occurred.

The five-member team crossed the canal in stages in a boat that could carry three people. After two women officials crossed first, the boat capsized near the opposite bank while the micro observer and videographer were crossing with the ballot box.

As a result, the 19th vote could not be recorded, and the ballot box was taken to the strong room. Officials said ballot papers collected through home voting are opened and shifted to the strong room the same day. The ballots in the box that fell into the water were not damaged and were safely moved later that day.