Student volunteers including NCC Cadets, Scouts and Guides aid needy at 2,905 polling booths

Mysore/Mysuru: Specially-abled and elderly people made a beeline to cast their vote for the Assembly election this morning.

The specially-abled who came in three-wheelers to Polling Station, were helped at all the 2,905 booths in wheelchair, by student volunteers including NCC Cadets, Scouts and Guides students, specially drawn for the purpose on the directions of Election Commission of India (ECI), who were distributed ID card, said K.M. Gayathri, Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and SVEEP District Nodal Officer.

Depending on the requirement, the volunteers were deputed at the booths in                        Lakshmikantha Nagar, Hebbal, Sri Kalanikethana College of Visual Art, Vijayanagar Second Stage, Government School near Kumbarakoppal Bus Stand and several other schools.

Apart from ‘Vote From Home’ facility made for the benefit of specially-abled and voters  aged 80 years and above and down by ill health, those who had not enrolled for the facility, enthusiastically stepped out to vote, albeit with the help of their  kith and kin.

The volunteers were also engaged in instructing the voters to abide by rules like-switching off their cell phones, waiting in queue and other instructions to ensure smooth going of the  polling process.

While the roadside eateries closer to Polling Booths had shut doors, hotels and restaurants did a brisk business. It was common to see the voters, some among them after morning walk, rushing to their respective booths to vote, before thronging the nearby hotels and restaurants for breakfast.

The tender coconut and juice vendors also did roaring business, with the party workers and voters thronging those shops to quench their thirst.