Seeking change for coming generation, elderly turn out in large numbers in Delhi polls

NEW DELHI: Enthusiasm ran high among elderly voters on Wednesday in the Delhi elections, with almost all polling stations witnessing a large turnout of senior citizens including the parents of Delhi’s former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

At Mayur Vihar Phase 1, Nirmal Das, 85, who arrived at a polling station with his son and daughter-in-law, appeared more elated than them. “I want to discharge my democratic right before leaving for ‘apna ghar’ (heavenly abode), and I have done it with gratitude to the nation,” he remarked while speaking to The New Indian Express.

At the Bersarai village polling station, where many elderly voters were seen casting their votes, 88-year-old Dayanand exercised his right to vote. “We want change for our coming generation, and for change and development, I have voted today, even at this age,” he remarked.

Standing nearby, Mamata Soni, 75, accompanied by her son Sachin Soni, 50, and her grandson, echoed similar electoral sentiments. “The roads are in a dilapidated state. There is no maintenance of trees, which have covered the streetlights. My vote is based on these issues. Hopefully, the elected candidates will resolve them,” she remarked.

When The New Indian Express reporting team travelled across Delhi, a sizeable turnout of elderly voters was evident. “Look at everyone who is elderly – they can be seen bubbling with enthusiasm to cast their votes. This time, such visible enthusiasm among elderly people is motivating us youngsters to come out and vote,” remarked Prabhash Singh, a Punjabi youth, at the Jaganpura polling station. A significant number of elderly voters exercised their franchise, focusing on key issues like sanitation, sewer systems, and development. Shahabuddin, a 55-year-old voter from the Seelampur assembly segment, emphasized that these concerns influenced his decision at the ballot box.

At a polling booth in Laxminagar, retired army officer Deepender Malhotra, 80, and his wife Nirmala, 78, shared an interesting experience. “As senior citizens of India, we went around our neighbors early in the morning and motivated them to come first to cast their votes. You will be surprised that for the first time here, more than a dozen voters of our age-group exercised their rights in assembly elections. We are living every moment for the nation,” he proudly remarked.

Meanwhile, at Raj Niwas, Ashok Grover, 79, and Kamlesh Grover, 73, were seen returning from the polling station with broad smiles. Their enthusiasm prompted younger voters to joke, “Dada ji to aaj kamal kar diye. Ham sab se pahale vote de dia” (Dada ji, you did a wonder having cast your vote before us).

In Malviya Nagar, senior citizen Gurvidner Singh was among many elderly voters eager to cast their votes. However, he faced disappointment as his name was missing from the electoral rolls. “I had participated in previous elections but was unable to find my name this time in the voter list,” he complained. At another polling booth in Laxminagar, 80-year-old Praveen Singh Negi arrived early to vote, basing his choice on the candidate’s honesty and commitment to development.

G.M. Bhattacharya, 73, who voted at the Greater Kailash polling station, argued that government freebies should also be extended to income tax payers, as the middle class is struggling under the burden of skyrocketing inflation.

According to official data, Delhi has 1,56,14,000 registered voters, including 83,76,173 male voters, 72,36,560 female voters, and 1,267 third-gender voters. Among them, 1,09,368 are 85 years or older, and 783 are over 100 years old.

(With inputs from Anup Verma, Ashish Srivastava, Shekhar Singh, Ifrah Mufti and Prabhat Shukla)