The first time Sitara Jain, a 106 -year- old resident of Shahdara, voted was in India’s first general election following Independence. And five years ago, she managed to walk to the polling station to vote in the 16th general election. This time, she will get picked up and dropped back if the office of Delhi’s chief electoral officer keeps a promise to arrange transport for all centenarians on polling day, May 12.
Delhi has 97 citizens who have been identified by the state election office so far as being above 100 years of age. Special arrangements will be made to ensure these citizens are transported to the polling stations safely and back home after they cast their votes, officials said.
Delhi’s chief electoral officer Ranbir Singh has also asked election officers to welcome these citizens at polling booths with bouquets of flowers when they turn up to vote. The plan to arrange transport and the special welcome for centenarians is part of an initiative by Singh.
Read more of this in a report by Vatsala Shrangi published in Hindustan Times...
