It's Kolkata, Folks—Expect Chaos
So, Kolkata's election system is a mess, huh? Color me shocked. We're talking about a place where cows probably have more rights-of-way than pedestrians. You expect flawless bureaucracy? Please.
The article lays it out: misspelled names, wrong addresses, multiple forms floating around like confetti after a particularly disastrous parade. And get this—voters can't even correct the damn things until December. December! That's like telling someone their house is on fire, but they can't call the fire department for three months.
A 60-year-old dude in Regent Park has a completely wrong name on his SIR 2002 form, but his EPIC number is right. How does that even happen? Was the data entry clerk drunk on chai? And the BLO (whatever the hell that is) has "no clear answers." Of course not. Because clarity is the enemy of all things Kolkata.
Then there's the woman from Shyampukur whose name is still chilling on the voter list at her old address, even though she moved seven years ago. Seven years! You can raise a whole freakin' human being in that time. But sure, the election commission is on top of things.
More Problems Than Solutions
And don't even get me started on the woman who got two enumeration forms, one of which landed at her father's ancestral residence. She's changed her address twice and uses her husband's surname now, but the form has her maiden name. It's like the system is actively trying to screw with people. I have even appealed to the EC for deletion of my name when I applied for my new ID card in 2015, she said.
It's all a giant clusterfuck, frankly. A system designed not to enfranchise, but to confuse and frustrate. And for what? So some politician can maybe, possibly, rig an election? Or is it just plain incompetence? Maybe I'm being too cynical... nah.
Speaking of incompetence, I tried to order a pizza online last week. The app crashed three times, the delivery guy went to the wrong address, and when the pizza finally arrived, it was cold and missing half the toppings. Sound familiar? It's the same level of organizational skill we're dealing with here.
A City Drowning in Bureaucracy (and Water)
But hey, at least the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) is on the case with those 21 new lifting stations! You know, to combat the chronic flooding that turns the city into Venice after a light drizzle. Apparently, residents of Sovabazar, Bagbazar, and a bunch of other "bazars" will be spared from "severe waterlogging for longer hours." That's reassuring. KMC to set up 21 lifting stations for tide relief
They're also spending 207 crore (whatever that translates to in actual money) on sewerage and drainage improvements. And refurbishing a 148-year-old sewer line. A sewer line older than my freakin' grandma! It's the third oldest brick sewer in the world. You know what else is old? The excuses they'll use when it inevitably fails.
And while they're at it, maybe they can use some of that money to hire a decent data entry team for the election commission. Just a thought.
Oh, and I saw a story about a Labrador in Singur that swallowed a bike key. They had to do some fancy endoscopic procedure to get it out. The world is amazing, ain't it? From panic to relief: Labrador saved after swallowing bike key
