The city of Hyderabad came to a halt on Tuesday as the first phase of polling for the Lok Sabha election began.

No offices, except a few private ones, were functioning. Most of the autorickshaws were off the roads. Many shopkeepers had downed their shutters fearing poll violence.

In the past poll violence was always associated with booth capturing, which is a thing of the past. One cannot stuff ballot boxes because there are no boxes. Electronic Voting Machines have made booth capturing redundant.

Raghu, a software engineer, didn't vote. Though his office doesn't mind him taking a few hours off to vote, he jokingly says, "I would vote if my wife stood for elections."

The owner of a tailor's shop opposite the city railway station too had not voted. "I have no time," he said apologetically.
The auto driver who was ferrying me across the city also did not vote because he could cast his vote only in his village. "My wife will vote sir and that is enough. At least someone in the family voted," he said.

Voting was peaceful, regular and in the range of around 60 per cent.

One man's name wasn't on the list in spite of having a voter's identity card. He did not bother to complain, though.