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Kerala / The New Indian Express

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Ballot box from 1st LS elections shines bright in Hakkims antique collection

ALAPPUZHA: The new generation is largely unaware of how voting and counting once took place in the country. For decades, elections were conducted using long ballot papers printed with the names and symbols of candidates. Voters would mark their choice, fold the paper, and drop it into a sealed box. After voting concluded, polling officers sealed the box using sealing wax, and the boxes were stored securely, The counting, often stretching one or two days, began several days later. On counting day, the seals were broken and the boxes opened in front of counting officials to ensure complete transparency. With the introduction of the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), this long and laborious process came to an end. Voters can simply press a button, and counting takes only minutes as data from the machines is downloaded quickly and accurately. One such ballot box from the pre-EVM era has now become the highlight of the antique collection of Hakkim Maliyakkal, a 65-year-old antiquarian from Chirakkadavom, Kayamkulam, in Alappuzha district. Hakkim owns two ballot boxes used during the early years of Indias democratic elections, and many people visit his home to see these rare historical items. Hakkim said he purchased the first ballot box around 20 years ago from Bengaluru. When I visited the city to attend an antique show, a dealer from north India offered this box for sale. It was originally made in 1951 and used in the countrys first general elections in 1952. Hyderabad Allwyn Ltd, a public sector company under the Andhra Pradesh government, built the boxes, and around 12 lakh of them were produced for the first elections, says Hakkim, who is also a Limca Book of Records holder for his coin collection. He acquired the second ballot box later in a public auction. I keep all my antique items in one room of my house, and it is always open to the public, he adds.

26 Nov 2025 8:06 am