Casting a vote may be just a few minutes job for us but to conduct it is a Herculean task that involves planning, execution and most importantly cooperation from the people.
All this and more is being told through a photo exhibition organised by the Election Commission of India to celebrate its diamond jubilee year at the Art Gallery, Entertainment Society of Goa, Panaji.

The exhibition was formally inaugurated on Monday by Dr S Y Quraishi, Chief Election Commissioner of India in the presence of the Chief Minister, Mr Digambar Kamat, the Speaker, Pratapsingh Rane, Election Commissioners, Mr V S Sampat and Mr H S Brahma.

Speaking at the function, Dr Quraishi stated that the photo exhibition was a festival of democracy. The exhibition is on a tour of all the states of the country with Goa being the 13th state to host the exhibition.

This exhibition commenced from Delhi on February 21 and by January 2011 the Election Commission of India will cover the remaining states.

This exhibition through pictures tells the journey of the election process of India that is actually an identity of our democracy.

The pictures tell us of many interesting things–which incidentally we may or may not be aware of.

One picture tells of the power of one vote–Mr Guru Bharat Das Guru Darshan Guru, age 59 years, is a lone registered voter in the Banej polling station of Junagarh District (Gujarat). But he refuses to go anywhere else to vote. Hence three polling officers are deployed to make a polling station for him, so that his vote is cast and counted.

These are some of the rare instances related to the election process which are documented and told through pictures.

There is also a special feature on elections in Goa. The photo feature of counting of votes of assembly elections at Panaji, 1989 and also the recent Lok Sabha elections of 2009 is on display as well.

(The exhibition will remain open till September 1 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Art Gallery, Entertainment Society of Goa, Panaji)