Much before psephology gained currency in Western democracies, the Congress party devised an ingenious way of assessing its vote count in the 1937 elections to the United Provinces held under British rule. The party would urge its voters to bring along a hey stick which they were asked to throw on a pile at the polling stations. At the end of voting, the sticks were counted and gave the party a fair idea of the votes polled. Later the heap was set on fire and burnt as a final act of celebration.
Published 24 April 2024, 03:18 IST