By Lanka Samanth & Ajay Ramanathan
Students from the Bharat Scouts of Kodandarampura BBMP School are helping the physically handicapped and senior citizens to cast their vote at Malleswaram Ladies Association Charitable and Education Trust polling booths. Even though the scouts are not eligible to vote, they say that they are proud to be a part of the elections and happy to help the public.
Naveen, a 14 year old scout said, “Since morning we are helping here, the BBMP has sent us. I’m happy to help the physically handicapped to cast their vote.”
N.Gangappa, the Scout master is guiding the students.
Around 10 Bharat Scouts are deployed in polling station 99,100,101,102 in Malleswram constituency.
Out of the four polling booths in Malleswaram Ladies Association Charitable and Education Trust, polling station 102 is maintained by some physically handicapped officials. They are allotted with a total number of 850 voters each day. As per the latest update, 284 people cast their votes in polling station 102. Janardhan, the presiding officer in polling station 104, said, “This is the first time Election Commission in India have initiated that only physically handicapped officers will take care of the polling station.”
Bhagyalakshmi, an 87 year old woman suffering from skin disease came all the way from Yelahanka to cast her vote in Malleshwaram despite her illness.
