Elderly, disabled, first-time voters participate in festival of democracy

Amit Bathla
Tribune News Service
Panchkula, October 21

Senior citizens, first-time voters and Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) exercised their franchise to participate in the festival of democracy. NSS volunteers were seen helping senior citizens and divyangs to the polling booths.

A group of Class XII students — Ashwani, Mohit, Yashvinder and Rahul — were in high spirits as their school, Government Senior Secondary School in Sector 6, turned into a pink booth.

A group of friends said, “We love to help senior citizens and disabled arriving at polling booths. Earlier in the Lok Sabha elections also, we had contributed for the same.”

Bimla Devi, (83) a resident of Sector 12A, was seen being escorted on a wheel chair by a student volunteer to the polling booth at Saarthak Government Intergrated Model School. “Voting is important and everybody should exercise their democratic right,” she said.

Ambar (21), a first-time voter, said, “I will vote on issues that affect youth the most. Joblessness is a major concern. I also want my legislator to focus on higher education. For me, issues such as Article 370 come after employment generation.” He, however, did not reveal his voting preferences.