Number cropper

How is the number of a polling booth related to the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment headed by Meira Kumar? Well, without it a voter from the Congress leader’s constituency, Sasaram in Bihar, cannot hope to meet the minister and plead for help. Recently a young chap who had come all the way from Sasaram to Delhi to meet the minister was flabbergasted when the minister’s aide asked him the number of the booth where he casts his vote. “I have never voted. I am less than 18,” he mumbled. “You don’t look underage,” observed the aide. “Anyway, without the booth number you can’t meet the minister.” There was a typically Bihar solution to the whole problem, however. “State any number. Is he going to check it?” said someone there. Well, this is one poll booth strategy that may not work any longer.