The real reason

Former Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami recalled that, a day before polling in a particular state, the chief minister called him to demand that the Election Commission withdraw its order that no voting would be allowed without a voter’s card. Gopalaswami’s arguments cut no ice with the chief minister, but he persisted. Finally, the chief minister explained that he’d lost his card and didn’t want to be embarrassed the next day at the polling booth. Gopalaswami sent him a fresh voting card within two-and-a-half hours.