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Physically challenged, elderly too proudly wear the ink mark in Lucknow
There was no enthusiasm lacking even among the physically challenged as they came forward to exercise their franchise and select a candidate of their choice
There was no enthusiasm lacking even among the physically challenged as they came forward to exercise their franchise and select a candidate of their choice. They came on wheelchairs and at many centres, wheelchairs were provided too.
“It was a great feeling after I voted for a candidate,” Raju Sahu, who came on a wheelchair to the polling station at Arts College at the Mankameshwar Mandir ward.
Shaba Ikrami, a native of Lokeshwar Mandir area, came with her husband, Shakeel Ahmad, on a wheelchair and said, “Exercising my right to vote lends confidence.”
Badri Vishal Dixit, who could not walk, came on wheelchair to the Arts College polling booth. “Voting is my duty and right both. I need to fulfil my duty,” he said after casting his vote.
The Aastha Old Age Hospital that had announced help for elderly voters by providing an ambulance and wheelchairs, facilitated 73 people by picking them up from their house and dropping them back. “Also, wheelchairs were provided to the physically challenged and elderly voters. In all, 33 were physically challenged and 40 were elderly voters who sought our facility,” said Dr Abhishek Shukla, secretary-general, Association of International Doctors.
One voter took ill at a polling station in Jankipuram and was attended to by doctors.
“The voter’s sugar level shot up and was attended to by doctors and later referred to Lohia Institute,” said Yogesh Raghuvanshi, the district’s health education officer.
Keeping in view the need for medical attention, the health department had set up help desks at all 1,527 polling stations in the state capital while the district administration had made nine polling booths for physically challenged, besides 46 model polling stations.
