Candidates offer chilled water to lure voters

Candidates offer chilled water to lure voters
Archit Watts/TNS

Galwaday Chak, May 16
The candidates in the fray for the posts of panch and sarpanch in the Jammu region have found a new way of attracting voters by providing free chilled water, especially when the temperature is hovering around 42°C.

As the election authority has put a blanket ban on the sale and consumption of liquor before 24 hours of the polling time, the candidates are now offering chilled water to attract voters.

During a visit to various polling stations in the Marh block of Jammu district today, the candidates and their supporters were seen offering chilled water to the voters standing in queues to convince them to vote for particular candidates.

As unscheduled power cuts have become common, especially in villages, the supply of chilled water is proving to be a boon for the voters. Some voters were also seen carrying buckets and water campers filled with chilled water to take it home, as the candidates had ordered a bulk quantity of ice for the purpose. “The contestants are serving free water to everyone and it is a noble cause. We are also taking water home,” said Shanti Devi, a voter from Galwaday Chak village.

“What if they are trying to lure us by providing chilled water, it is our basic necessity. Those who are offering water today will definitely highlight our problems in future, if elected,” she maintained. She added that offering water was considered the best way to serve humanity.

Similarly, Dileep Kumar, a supporter of a candidate for the post of sarpanch, who was offering water, said, “To provide water is not a crime. We are doing this as there is no arrangement of water. What’s wrong if the people are taking water home? It gives us satisfaction”.

Even policemen and officials deployed outside the polling stations found themselves helpless, as offering water was not prohibited under any law. A police officer said, “The temperature is touching almost 42°C and what is wrong if these people are offering water to voters. We are deployed here to keep a check on illegal activities and providing water is not an illegal activity as per the rules of the election commission”.