SHILLONG: The time to vote is here again, this time it is for the Lok Sabha elections after the state’s tribals cast their votes for the District Council elections in February this year.
The Shillong Times made a round of some of the polling stations. In a visit to a Model Polling Station in St Edmund’s College, Laitumkhrah and St Joseph’s Girls Higher Secondary School, crèches were placed in separate rooms filled with toys to keep the children busy while their parents cast their vote.
Asked, the ladies who were tasked to look after the children with a smiling face said, they faced no problem in looking after the children.
In another model polling station, Lady Keane, crèches were not provided. Young poll volunteers stationed there, informed the reporter that the turnout was good.
The poll volunteers distributed sweets, juice to women and young voters. They informed that there were less turnout of male voters.
Happy in being poll volunteers, the group of young people said they had already cast their votes.
A senior citizen, Dabokso Marbaniang, also came out to cast her vote at Seng Khasi School, Jaiaw. Asked she said, “I am 88 years and 2 months old. I cast my vote in every elections but last Council elections, I did not come out since I was not well.”
The Shillong Times also came across some first time voters in a polling station in Mawlai. A girl said she felt excited to vote for the first time. Her friend echoed that through voting she was able to express herself and it was her right to vote.
