Dear Visakhapatnam, did you cast your vote yet?

Just a few hours into the voting process, a polling booth in Visakhapatnam North unfolded into a centre for bustling activity. Busy polling personnel and eager citizens, from all walks of life, formed the clamorous scene on the hot and humid Thursday morning in the city. Amidst the flutter, a near 80-year-old voter, seeking support from his aide, hobbled his way out of the polling booth and proudly flaunted his inked finger to the voters waiting outside. A gesture that drew an admiring glance from a couple of youngsters and inspired a few other voters to bear the heat and long queues to make their votes count.

Yes, the sun has been beating down hard. Yes, the queues have been long and testing. And yes, the polling equipment might be posing problems at a few places. But are these strong enough to restrict you from exercising your basic democratic right? A senior voter from the city certainly doesn’t think so. “It has been a hot day and waiting in the queue was certainly not an easy job. There was a delay in the process initially, but I waited patiently in the queue to cast my vote. It’s important to note that vote is one of our biggest weapons in democracy and we shouldn’t let it go at any cost,” shared Rajeswara Rao, a senior citizen from the constituency of Visakhapatnam North. A bunch of youngsters too shared that they had taken the onus of bringing along their elders to the polling booth and assist them through the process to cast their vote.

A few feel that the figures of the voter turnout so far have been slightly disappointing, citing several possible causes for the same. However, with a few more hours left before the clock strikes 6 pm and the election officers call it a day on the voting process, the numbers, hopefully, are expected to reach a better mark in Visakhapatnam and elsewhere.

So, if you haven’t exercised your vote yet, head out to your respective polling station and play a part in electing your leader for constructing a better society. After all, what would the world’s biggest democracy gain if its citizens don’t make their voices heard and involve in nation-building?.