Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka: Voters slam ban on cellphones

BENGALURU: Voters are critical of the Election Commission (EC) order, banning mobile phones within a 100-m radius of polling stations. Several EC officials admitted in private that the move may backfire and impact voters’ turnout.Chief electoral officer Sanjiv Kumar said that polling officials would be asked to let voters deposit their mobile phones before entering the booth and return the devices during exit. However, a few election officials admitted that this would be practically impossible, given the limited number of officials at polling booths. “This might lead to a lot of trouble which officials cannot afford,” said an EC official.Anamika Iyengar, a resident of Indiranagar, said that the ban appears impractical. Tinu Cherian Abraham, a social media expert, said: “The EC can ban the use of mobile phones inside polling booths. But asking them not to carry mobiles is not a good decision at all,” he said.