Elections to the North and East Delhi Municipal Corporations saw senior citizens turning up in large numbers to vote despite scorching heat. Most of them said that walking to polling booths was painful but they did not want to miss the chance to vote.
Priya Sehgal, CEO and MD of a private firm and a resident of Yamuna Vihar in East Delhi said that the problems of aged people are genuine and should have been addressed before election.
“These people (authorities) should have made provision that anyone above 60 years can visit booths with vehicles. I took my mother at polling station and the police did not allow me to drive him inside the booths. This is really ridiculous,” she said.
Rajni Shastri, a 75-year-old retired school teacher who voted at Dhaka polling booth in North Delhi was seen walking to booth without any support said, “There should be an EVM at the gate so that we will not be forced to walk so long in such a heat.
She further explained the importance of casting votes and criticised youth for sleeping at home instead of turning the opportunity to build a strong democracy.
“You have given constitutional rights to vote but still if you do not use this opportunity to select the leader by whom you want to be ruled. It has become a trend on part of youngsters who do not want to stand in queues. If you cannot participate in the democratic exercise, do not say ‘I am an Indian’ said a visibly peeved Shastri.
While Vijay Ahuja, a resident of Indira Vikas was annoyed after being stopped at the gate of the polling station as he came in an E-Rickshaw.
“I was not allowed to go inside on E-rickshaw. I am 72-year-old and cannot walk but still I came out to exercise my franchise. Covering the distance from here (main gate) is really difficult for me. They (authorities) should have allowed old people to enter polling premises on their vehicles, he said.
E-Rickshaws were widely used in areas of North and East Delhi to ferry the voters at polling booths but vehicles entry was not allowed inside.