New Delhi: Centenarian Kalitara Mandal, the oldest voter in Delhi, on Saturday cast her vote, becoming a cynosure of all eyes at a polling station in the capital city.
Dressed in a white saree and a cardigan sweater, the 111-year-old came to a polling station in CR Park in south Delhi along with her son, grandson and other family members. She flashed her inked wrinkled finger to photographers after voting.
“I am happy to vote in this election. I don’t remember how many elections I have taken part in, but as a responsible citizen, we must vote. I urge other citizens to also come out and vote,” Mandal told PTI right after casting her vote.
She cast her vote in a wheelchair provided at the polling station, with her son Sukh Ranjan and grandson Suraj assisting her in entering the booth.
Born in undivided India in Barisal (now in Bangladesh) in 1908, Mandal has seen the subcontinent go through turbulent phases many times, including two partitions, and lived “twice as a refugee” in India along with her family before finding a home in Delhi.
There are a total of 132 centenarian voters in Delhi — 68 males and 64 females. According to a senior official of the Delhi Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Office,
“At least 66 centenarians voted at polling booths today and five had used postal ballots earlier. More updates are coming in about the overall polling figures,” an official said.
They are treated “as VIPs” on the polling day, welcomed, picked up from home in a designated vehicle and then dropped home. (PTI)
