First Time Voters Take Part in Polling With Enthusiasm

Such was the enthusiasm among these voters, mostly students that some of them postponed their summer vacation to utilize their right to vote. Students exercised their franchise for the first time and pressed the button on the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM).

“My friends and I took part in the polling with excitement. We observed the polling booth and the election process curiously while completing the formalities, said G Himabindu, a student, who is pursuing B.Sc. from a private in Chikkadpally.

Same was the case with her two friends Anakha and Mokshita. Some more students, who are studying other courses in a private college in Kukatpally, enthusiastically exercised their franchise. “We eagerly waited for the polling date to utilize our right to vote. After completing formalities, we took a selfie with an ink marked finger,” said a B.Com student.

What excited the first time voters were the selfie points that were put up outside the main gate of a few polling stations. After completion of voting, they assembled at the selfie point and took photos with their smartphones before sharing on their social media accounts and friends.

As youngsters are active on social media, most first time voters studied the profile of the candidates in their respective Parliament constituencies before attending the election process at the polling booth concerned in their locality. Some students debated the election campaign in their WhatsApp groups generating curiosity among other group members.

Most students underscored the importance of casting the vote, prompting everyone in the group to exercise their franchise. According to officials, of the total 3.30 crore voters in the State, the youth aged between 18 and 19 years comprise 8.67 lakh including 3.84 women voters.