Will to vote wins over their physical hurdles

Even physical challenges and health issues couldn't stop them from exercising their franchise. Some on wheelchairs and walkers, some visually impaired or deaf and assisted by their families reached different polling booths in the city to get their fingers inked on Monday.

Samar Pratap Singh who recently had a paralysis attack and Pravin Dikshit who has a polio-affected left leg voted at a govt school in Balaganj,

The duo said, "If we make an excuse for our health condition and don't participate in the festival of democracy than we don't hold any right to complain about the lack of facilities for specially-abled in public places."

Rizwan Ahmed, who suffered from ankylosing spondylitis, reached his polling station at Thakurganj with the help of a walker.

Mohd Zubair in a wheelchair voted at Hanuman Prasad College in Yahiaganj and poet and scientific officer at CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Pankaj Prasun who recently met with an accident voted at Jankipuram. They shared that physical barriers can't stop them from voting for the growth of their country.

First-time voter Ishnat Awasthi (18) who can't hear or speak voted at Shia PG College.

"He can't speak or hear but he holds great respect for democracy. Last time during the state assembly polls, he asked to get his voter ID made," said Ishant's mother.

Puhpa Agarwal, 77, who arrived in a wheelchair at Scholar's Home in Vipul Khand, said, "I am in extreme pain due to osteoporosis and also have low vision, but I wanted to set an example for my children that one should not make any excuses for not being able to vote."