Friday, April 25, 2014

Flutter at Mandaveli voting centre

Reported by Pavithra Chandrasekhar

There were a total of 8 booths at St. Johns Senior Secondary School and the St. Johns Higher Secondary School in Mandaveli.

Through the day, the area looked busy with voters and members of parties.

Around 4:45 p.m. when one of the candidates showed up with a group of people and walked into the booth, it created some problems. The rules say that the candidate can go into the booth only with a booth agent.

Police got into action. They dispersed people who were around the venue. Since then very few people came by to vote and the schoolgates were closed at 6 p.m. when voting came to an end.

Busy booths in Saligramam

Reported by Pooja Ravikrishnan

Around 8 a.m. on Election Day (April 24) the poll stations at Saligramam were filled; there were families and a few first time voters.

The first time voters were all very excited as they walked in to cast their vote.

There were desks to guide local voters; people said they found this useful.

Smooth polling at R. A. Puram centre

Reported by Shrishti Mathew

Thirty minutes into polling on April 24, at 7:30am the booth at Raja Muthiah School, R A Puram is already quite full.

Residents trickled in and out in a steady flow. There was not much of  police presence, just an officer or two, keeping each line in order. “It is a very well organized, well maintained booth. The personnel are patient and helpful.” said the Murthys, residents of R A Puram.

However there appeared to be no ramp here for those who were physically disabled.

A short distance away from the booth were little counters, run by members of political parties (mostly AIDMK although there was a BJP counter which was empty). The job of the men at these counters was to give those who do not have a voting slip but are on the supplementary voters list a separate slip by which they can vote.

Quiet scene at Alwarpet booth


 Reported by Aadhya Babu

On polling day, the booth at the campus of Chennai Corporation Assistant Engineer’s Office on C P Ramaswamy Road, Alwarpet was not very crowded at about 11 a.m. when we visited it.

A 21 year old college student who came in said she was voting for the first time.

"I finally chose a candidate because I had not much of a choice," said a 61 year old woman.

Policemen kept a watch but everything seemed fine here.


Busy booths in Mandaveli


Reported by Madhumitha Vishwanath

On  April 24, voting was brisk from 7am onwards in the booths at Raja Muthiah  Hr Sec  School and at Sigapi Ramasamy Primary School in Mandaveli.

Many old people were seen in the booths.

A few young voters were also present.
They said they were  impressed by the efficient voting system.

Police jeeps were constantly patrolling these areas.

DMK, AIADMK and DMDK supporters were stationed outside the booths, at their counters.

Poll 2014: Failure of machines cause delay in Ashok Nagar

Reported by Deepak Kannan

Residents of one area of Ashok Nagar voted with enthusiasm for the Lok Sabha elections at the YMCA branch of Kodambakkam and at Jawahar Vidyalaya Senior Secondary School.

Some voters said that due to the failure of the

Electronic Voting Machines there was some delay.

For the first time barricades were put up to block cars and bikes from driving up to the polling booths.


Concert by Ragam Sisters at Temple

Reported by K. Sambhavi

As part of the Chithirai Izhai Vizha at Sri Kapaleeswarar Temple, Mylapore, a music concert was held at Navarathri Mandapam on April 22 from 6.30pm onwards.

The concert was by  Ragam Sisters, Sivaranjani and Nalinakanthi.

The festival is organised by the temple management led by D. Kaveri, deputy commissioner.

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Polling booth in Mylapore school under tight police security

Reported by Aadhya Babu

Lady Sivaswami Ayyar Girls Higher Secondary School is the local poll booth for the voters of Mylapore who live in the area who will be voting in the General Elections.

This poll booth was under strict police control and this evening, we saw the EVMs  (Electronic Voting Machines) being taken to the booths.

There were posters all around this place to create awareness among the people to vote on April 24.

Saligramam polling booths ready for voting

Reported by Pooja Ravikrishnan

The polling stations in Saligramam were being prepared on April 23, 2014.

At 8 a. m., when we went around this area it was easy to identify the booths as there were various posters outside them.

The polling station at General Cariappa Higher Secondary School was almost ready in the morning. The make shift barricades had been put up and the desks have been set up.

The only thing left to do was to set up the voting machine.

Polling booths prepared for voting day

 Reported by Pavithra Chandrasekhar

The booths are being set up for the Parliament election on April 24, Thursday.

“The drains have been checked and drinking water has been filled for people,” says a worker from the Metro Water Board of Chennai when we visit a booth at Sri Venkataramana Primary School on Dr. Ranga Road, Alwarpet.

“The electronic voting machines (EVMs) will arrive by tonight” says the official from the Corporation of Chennai.  The information banners are up and the booth is under surveillance by the police all the time.

The election polling starts tomorrow ( April 24, Thursday) at 7 a.m. and goes on until 6 p.m.

Mapping the Neighbourhood

Day Two of the Course. April 22.

Starting the session with reading the participant's choice of news story from the day's newspaper.
To understand what the news story is and what it has to share with readers.

Also, time to look at the Map of the Neighbourhood that the team has created - to help each one to locate the places that can be the source of news, of stories, of pictures.

Assignment - look for pictures of preparations at polling booth as the state readies for parliamentary elections voting day.

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Course of 2014 Summer begins

April 21.
The 2014 edition of the Basics of Journalism, Writing course that Mylapore Times, the neighborhood newspaper offers students begins on a  soft note at the newspaper's office in Alwarpet.

Six young people report for Day One.
And we set the agenda for the 15 days ahead - to start the day with readings of news reports that the morning newspapers carry and see what we can can learn from them. Listen to the day's lecture. Discuss the day's assignments. Read small reports that the attendees write.

That seems a lot to achieve in the day's 90minutes.
And beyond.