Age no bar to exercise franchise for Assam centenarians

GUWAHATI: From India’s freedom struggle, change of governments to many other momentous moments in history, they have seen it all. They are among the oldest living biographers of the country at the moment who saw the nation take baby steps towards progress. Despite being a witness to so much activity, this group of centenarians in Assam’s Nalbari district had been abstaining from exercising their franchise because of their their advanced age.
But this Lok Sabha election, the administration has lent wings to their dreams of casting their precious votes by arranging their transportation to polling stations. Altogether, 27 centenarians have been identified in Nalbari district, parts of which fall under Guwahati, Mangaldoi and Barpeta parliamentary seats.
Chana Ram Barman, who is 104 years old, has made up his mind to not let his precious vote go waste this time. “Now that I can avail a vehicle to the polling booth, there is no point in staying away from voting,” Barman, who worked as a farmer and a tailor during his prime, said. He added that he always wanted to vote but his advance age was a deterrent.
Like Barman, several other centenarians in Guwahati, Mangaldoi and Barpeta parliamentary constituencies have expressed their eagerness to vote this time.
“I personally went to Barman’s residence at Arara village in Nalbari assembly constituency which falls under the Mangaldoi parliamentary seat. After I told him that we are providing vehicles and other facilities so that he can travel up to the polling booth to cast his vote and then drop him home, he made up his mind to vote. Similarly, other centenarians have also expressed their willingness to exercise their franchise time,” said Nalbari deputy commissioner Bharat Bhushan Dev Choudhury. He added that apart from vehicles, wheelchairs, medical facilities and helpers will be given to centenarian voters.
The DC said Nalbari assembly constituency has 14 voters who are over 100 years old. In Barkhetri assembly constituency, which falls under Guwahati Lok Sabha seat, there are 10 centenarian voters. In the Dharmapur assembly constituency under the Barpeta Lok Sabha seat, three voters are above 100.
“Our motto is to encourage young voters to exercise their democratic rights. When centenarians will come to polling booths, the youngsters will definitely feel encouraged. Also, we also do not want someone to miss out on voting just because of old age. That is why, we have taken the initiative,” added Dev Choudhury.
The deputy commissioner said the district has 3,833 octogenarian and nonagenerian voters, besides, 13,786 first-time voters, who are between 18 and 19 years of age. “We have asked booth-level officers to coordinate with the family members of nonagenarian and octogenarian voters in case they need any assistance for voting,” he added.