Walk down a quiet neighborhood street, and you will see the signs: ‘Polling Station 100M,200M.’
At a local primary school, the usual sound of lessons has been replaced by the clinking of tools as municipal workers repair the grounds. The school is shedding its identity as an educational hub to become a vital part of the democratic process.
Inside, the familiar notice boards are draped in old newspapers wich is a silent rule of the election commission to ensure neutrality. Staff are busy not with grading, but with the massive task of “booth prep.”
One primary teacher here wears two hats. By day, she prepares students for exams; by evening, she is the neighborhood’s Booth Level Officer (BLO). She spends her ‘summer break’ distributing booth slips door-to-door and guiding neighbours through the Voter Helpline App. “The people are very responsive,” she notes, though she admits that the summer heat is a silent killer of the otherwise enjoyable work.
While the students are away, their presence remains. Colourful election awareness boards, created during school rallies, stand tall near the entrance. They serve as a reminder that the work being done here today is for the future of the children watching from the sidelines
As the flaws are fixed and the gates are readied, this school stands as a symbol of the massive, quiet effort required to make every vote count.
Cover photo: The Local school getting ready as a polling booth
Photos by Ravi Raja Chakravarthy T R
Student Intern during April – June 2026