The old timers would recall, a movie starring Sydney Poitier and Lulu based on the life of the autobiography of ER Braithwaite, Lulu’s iconic song in the climax “To Sir with love…” is simply legendary. In fact, the movie itself still remains etched in my memory, as though I saw it yesterday, even after more than four decades. This one may come as a surprise to most of you but this SIR, is not your teacher as you know them, but it ends up teaching you a number of lessons alright. The SIR, I am referring to, is the Special Intensive Revision of the Voter List, currently in progress in a number of states in India.
Having led a nomadic existence in the last five decades , since I joined RIMC as an eleven year old, this rolling stone gathered no moss nor a Voter ID. A mandatory requirement to participate in the democratic process in the country. But then someone has to guard the borders, so while the election festival is celebrated with much fanfare in the rest of the country, we faujis have to watch the fun from the sidelines. Earlier, we never received the postal ballots, then when we started registering where we were posted, we landed up in Jammu & Kashmir, where we were again denied our fundamental right. But all that was part of life that we had signed up for, so no cribs. Now having superannuated and back in the civil world, it was time for us to be counted so we registered ourselves as Voters in Mhow last year and duly cast our votes in the Assembly Elections.
Then this SIR hit us, requiring us to link our names with the 2003 Voter List. That was a tall order, as in 2003 we were in Ladakh and obviously did not figure in any list anywhere in the country. I was told that all that was needed was my parents names in the 2003 list, so in all earnestness I set out to get the missing link. I am quite sure mankind was not so earnest in finding the elusive missing link in evolution of Homo sapiens as I was, after all it was my citizenship which was at stake. The threat of being labelled a Bangladeshi or a Rohingya in disguise was enough to send me scurrying to the Booth Level Officer (BLO). The BLOs are actually teachers who have landed up with this millstone around their neck, who have the highly unenviable task of tracing the voters in the booths assigned to them and then getting the necessary documentation done. The task given to them actually is one fit for ghosts (Bhoot), because only a bhoot can find the missing people in the voter list. As it is, it is reported that quite a few of these listed voters themselves have kicked the bucket and may themselves be ghosts watching the fun from some of the old Peepul Trees or from the graveyards.
Anyway, having been served a notice that we were the unmapped types, we were required to present ourselves to the BLO, who directed us to the Tehsil Office for submitting the required documents to prove that we were bonafide citizens of Bharat. Being conscientious and sincere, I meticulously collected almost all the documents listed, a Govt issued identity card, my veteran card, my Pension Payment Order (PPO), my Passport, copy of registry of property, High School Certificate and so on. The officer, despite being on leave, was kind enough to entertain us and accepted our claim with the documents presented. I am hoping that with this presentation of documents To SIR with Love, the saga would come to a happy end. I just hope that the name is entered correctly, as I was told by my friend Akash, that his father’s name in the list was entered as Bigdey (बिगड़े) Bhanot instead of Brigadier Bhanot. So keeping my fingers crossed….
14 thoughts on “TO SIR WITH LOVE”
Bigdey is still ok. Wait till they label us retarded for appending (retd) after our names.
Ha ha! I can fully relate to your ordeal sir! I also went through the same rigmarole and finally got myself proven to be an Indian allowed to vote yesterday! While you may have not experienced it, here in Tamil Nadu, all the documents are in Tamil and all the officials only speak in Tamil (they know English, but like to irk us “outsiders”). But as usual, the promise of a “Fauji Dollar” cleared all the obstacles by magic and I was verified as a Indian citizen finally!!
True to each word Sir👍
Beautifully expressed, Kudos and God Speed 🙏
Bigdey, retarded, tak to theek hai, jinda to hain, VSM construed as veer senani marchuke ….,,, will certainly get the name deleted from voters list. As such, we belong to no vote bank and therefore no party worker will ever contest for our existence. Saviors of Democracy, cannot become the building blocks of democracy….. Yahi Satya Hai
The Armed Forces, it seems, are indispensable for defending democracy…but apparently not essential enough to participate in it. The old adage is proving uncannily accurate, now delivered through first-hand experience to one of this country’s most devoted soldiers.
One can only admire the system’s efficiency: guarding borders for decades is clearly less persuasive proof of citizenship than being present in a 2003 voter list.
Might I humbly suggest trying the postal services next time, Suyash? There’s a fair chance the voter card may travel faster by registered post than by personal appearance, complete documentation, and repeated demonstrations of patriotism. Jai Hind!
SIR..Suyesh… humour served with voter id…
Sir most of us are in the same situation. Beautiful read so close to our hearts 😊 I am waiting for the BLO🤗
Great write up once again Sir. We all have seen so much humour in uniform and it surely is our time to now enjoy the humour without uniform, adding that extra spice to life 😀 😄
Hmm… Nice! The travails of finding electoral representation.
Bigday Bhanot is cute!
NICE ONE _ MAZEDAAR AS ALWAYS. KEEP WRITING IN 2026 TOO. COL DHIRAJ SHAH
Wonderful Sir
Nice Article SIR jee.
One hotel in Chennai gave me a bill with name printed as Carnal Mahesh.
Had a tough time convincing the Tata Power CFO to pass my travel claim !
Terrific writing on issues closed to our heart sir.. Going through the ordeal now, finding ( locating) our पंचायत onwards… to SIR with love ❤️ 😍 💖
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