• We will look into it, says District Election Officer

Mangalore, May 13: To know your polling station details, please contact help desk on 080-155212 for Karnataka State, says the website of the Election Commission, www.ceokarnataka.kar.nic.in. Quoting the Election Commission, the media too published this number for the benefit of people. But some people have started complaining that the helpline has not helped them.

Suma, a resident of Kulashekara, said that she called up the number 155212 on Thursday to know if her name was included in the voters’ list and which was her polling station. A woman at the other end replied that it was the office of Deputy Commissioner of Mangalore. As they were finalising the details, Ms. Suma was asked to call up again on Friday. "When I called up on Friday, I was told by a man that it was a holiday and the officials concerned were not available.

I was asked to call up on Saturday. I did not call up on Saturday and Sunday. When I called up at 2.45 p.m. on Monday, a woman replied that the person concerned had gone for lunch. Again, when I called up after thirty minutes, a gentleman who received the call did not have details," said Ms. Suma.

Pandu Shetty of Kulai said that he had called up the number on Monday. But a gentleman replied that he did not have details. "He took my cellphone number but never replied," he said.

Rashmi, a school teacher in Jeppu, said that when she called up the number on Thursday last, she did not get any details. She was told by a gentleman that the details were being updated and would be available by evening that day. She could collect the details from the the taluk office, she was told.

This correspondent got a different reply when he called up the number on Thursday: "We have given all details to the agents of political parties. They will visit your houses and furnish the details required by you. They are already on the job. You ask them."

When contacted on Monday, Deputy Commissioner M. Maheshwar Rao, who is the Election Officer of the district, said: "This has come to my notice for the first time. Otherwise, our helpline is functioning well. There may be some stray incidents such as these. We will look into it."