Senior citizens took part in the election process enthusiastically on Wednesday. Many of them, who were unable to walk, took the help of wheelchairs, which are made available in all polling booths.
The Election Commission had introduced ‘vote from home’ facility for people aged over 80 and those physically challenged. However, many missed the opportunity.
Abdul Haneef, who took his grandmother Chaman Bee, 90, to the polling booth at Salur in Shikaripur constituency, said “Somehow we missed the opportunity to ‘vote from home’. My grandmother stays with my father, who is also old. They did not know how to use the facility.”
Similarly, Gadigeppa, who brought his 88-year-old mother Kalamma, to the booth at Government Higher Primary School in Shikaripur, said he was not aware of the facility. “No government staff visited our house to inquire about the elderly voters. Otherwise, we would not have taken the trouble of bringing her here”, he said. Kalamma reached the polling booth in an autorickshaw. A policeman did help her reach the polling booth from the gate.
Hucchoji Rao, 68, also took the help of a wheelchair. He has difficulty walking because he suffered a stroke. His son Ramesh told The Hindu that his father could not use the “vote from home” facility as he was neither aged above 80 years, nor physically challenged. “I brought him to vote physically in the booth. I am happy he has a reason to come out of his place”, he said.
