Key Facts
• July 6: Kochi City announced delays in early voting due to system issues.
• July 4: Early voting began; barcode system failed at Kochi City Hall polling station.
• Voters had to write addresses on declarations due to barcode malfunction.
• Normally, barcodes verify identity; only name and birthdate are required.
• Without barcodes, staff manually searched names, increasing processing time.
• July 5: Barcode system still down; address entry requirement removed.
• July 6: System restored; error caused by incorrect data selection.
• Early voting at City Hall runs until July 13; expands to other locations from July 14.
• Additional polling sites include malls and Kochi University from July 15-18.
• Upper House election day is July 20.
Summary
Kochi City faced delays in early voting for the Upper House election due to a barcode system malfunction at the City Hall polling station. Starting July 4, voters had to manually write their addresses on declarations, causing longer processing times. The issue persisted until July 5, when the address requirement was lifted. By July 6, the system was restored, with the error traced to incorrect data selection. Early voting at City Hall continues until July 13, expanding to other locations, including malls and Kochi University, from July 14-18. The election is scheduled for July 20.
