City’s 85-plus super seniors applaud ‘vote from home’ initiative

Mumbai: Several senior citizens above the age of 85 had almost lost their hope of voting during this Lok Sabha election due to ailments and immobility. Against this backdrop, the Election Commission’s outreach to make this segment vote in the comfort of their own homes has warmed the hearts of Mumbaikars.
TOI interviewed families of “super seniors” aged over 85 who availed this new facility in the ongoing election.
Uday Kesarkar of Vazira Naka, Borivali, said, “We were amazed to see an army of around 10 election officials and police personnel arrive at our home, and set up a proper voting booth and ballot box. They got my mother Usha, 93, to vote and sealed the ballot paper in an envelope afterwards.” Usha, a retired municipal schoolteacher, moves with a walking stick at home but seldom steps outside.
“I salute the EC and govt for this initiative,” said another Borivali resident, Ashwin Ved, whose 91-year-old mother, Vimla, reads four Gujarati papers a day and has voted in every election. “EC officials came home earlier, took down her details and informed us that they will arrive on May 10,” said Ashwin. “Whom should I vote for?” she asked him in a tentative moment from behind the “booth”. “Whoever you think fit,” he answered. Vimla later noted that in place of a marker used during her last election experience, officials used liquid ink on her finger.
Though she was prepared to walk barefoot to the polling booth as usual, Matunga centenarian Parvathy Seshanandan found herself opening an envelope, ticking the symbol of her chosen candidate and dropping the folded sheet into a ballot box that was brought home. Nine days after she turned 101 on May 4 this year, this 1923-born nine-yard-sari-clad great-grandmother cast her vote from home. Her son Siva Subramaniam said the centenarian surprised officials by speaking in English. “Six officers came with the ballot box. They filmed her casting the vote. She did not tell me whom she voted for,” said Siva.
Rendered home-bound by spinal issues and an oozing leg infection, Andheri’s Rama Doshi, 87, voted on May 12 from the comfort of her bedroom that is now her entire world. “The process was very smooth. Six people came with the ballot box. They helped me and took photos to document. I am very happy that I got a chance to vote from home for the first time. I don’t know if I will get such a chance again,” said the chirpy Rama in Gujarati as her husband, Chandrakant Doshi, 88, played translator. “My wife needs a wheelchair to go out. The last time she voted, our son helped us. So this new convenience is definitely welcome,” he said.
However, other seniors who wanted to register or were not aware of the scheme were left disappointed.
In Parel, EC deputies offered to physically carry elderly voters and transport them to the polling booth on May 20 but the risk involved for frail silvers seemed too grave for most families so they declined.
“Not many people knew of this scheme. There should have been more effort to create awareness, especially as senior citizens are very keen on voting,” said Prakash Borgaonkar, executive director, Anand Vridhashram Seva Trust, Palghar.
Deep Amlani who runs an old-age home called Maru Ghar in Gorai said, “Our inmates belong to different constituencies, cities and states, so this home voting exercise is not practically possible for them. But I laud the effort for local Mumbaikars.”
For one week, Prakash Subramanian from Sion tried to avail the service for his father, K S Venkateswaran, 96, and mother, Meena, 85. “I will be heading straight for the airport after casting my vote on May 20 so I cannot take my parents to the polling station. My mother cannot take my father to the polling booth on her own,” he rued.