Age No Bar: Pune’s Elderly Voters Show Remarkable Determination at Polling Stations
Reported by Varad Bhatkhande
Pune, 13th May 2024: Senior citizens have shown commendable enthusiasm and active participation in the voting process today, aided by the facilities provided at the polling stations by the Election Commission of India (ECI).
In the Shirur Vidhan Sabha Constituency, Rakhmabai Dattoba Shelke, aged 106, and Anusaya Kashinath Sondekar, aged 105, exercised their voting rights at the polling station, choosing not to opt for postal voting. Similarly, in other constituencies, individuals like 98-year-old Vimala Dattatraya Shingane from Shivajinagar, 98-year-old Laxmibai Garade, and 98-year-old Kalawati Kamble from Pimpri, displayed remarkable determination to cast their votes, serving as an inspiration to younger voters.
Shalu Rathod, who was at her home in Chakan for childbirth, expressed her desire to vote before heading to the hospital, despite her due date being 14th May. Responding to her request, Pune District Collector Dr Suhas Diwase, along with Deputy Collector Archana Tambe, arranged for a special ambulance to transport her from Chakan to the polling station at COEP College in Shivajinagar. Rathod successfully cast her vote in the afternoon and was then admitted to Rajiv Gandhi Hospital in Yerawada for delivery.
Senior citizens flocked to the polling stations since morning, painting a similar picture across all 3 Lok Sabha constituencies in the district. Some arrived with their first-time voting grandchildren, while others accompanied elderly friends. At several locations, administration-appointed volunteers aided these voters, even arranging wheelchairs when needed. Voters expressed satisfaction with the polling station facilities.
In Pune Cantonment Vidhan Sabha Constituency, disabled voters exhibited a sense of contentment after casting their votes. They expressed gratitude to the ECI for accommodating elderly and disabled voters and praised the cooperation of polling station officials and staff during the voting process. Voters emphasized that voting is not just a right but a national duty.
District Collector Dr. Suhas Diwase remarked, “Grandmothers Rakhmabai and Anusaya, and soon-to-be mother Shalu Rathod, along with young individuals battling terminal illnesses but still prioritizing voting, and disabled citizens, serve as inspirations for our democracy. Encouraged by such voters, every eligible member of society should exercise their voting rights in every election.”
Deputy Collector and SVEEP Coordinator Archana Tambe stated, “Shalu Rathod’s determination to vote before her hospital admission is truly inspiring and reflects a strong sense of national duty. The administration provided her with necessary assistance.”
