They can’t vote, yet. But surely can help others do it

NEW DELHI: Ujjwal Jain, a Class XII

student

of Rajkiya Pratibha Vikas Vidyalaya (RPVV), Ludlow Castle No. 1, was very excited to be part of the

election process

.


She

volunteered

for the polling station at Civil Lines, Chandni Chowk constituency, as she was excited to see how voting is done. “Though I couldn’t see how voting is done, I saw

chief minister

Arvind Kejriwal and his family who came to vote there,” Jain said.

She didn’t know that the chief minister was voting there. “He spoke to me and a friend so I am very excited. Moreover, being part of the election process is our contribution to the

community

,” Jain added.

She and many other school students at different booths helped the elderly and disabled at polling booths as volunteers. Aanchal and Preetika, both 17 and both students of Sant Eknat Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya, were stationed at a polling station in Dilshad Garden, North East Delhi constituency. An elderly voter, Basanti Devi (84), came there and the girls immediately came to her assistance. They took her to the booth, but she realised that she had left her voter ID at home. Her daughter went back home to fetch while the girls made her comfortable at the booth, offering her a place to sit.

“We have been trained to operate a wheelchair and also help those with hearing or visual impairments. It feels very nice when those we help thank us and bless us,” said a beaming Aanchal.

At Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya in Timarpur, 16-year-old Shivani Rawat had a hard day helping senior citizens and disabled voters by taking them on wheelchairs from the main gate to the polling booths, which were at a considerable distance. The wiry Rawat, however, was still too eager to help in the searing heat. “I don’t mind the trek,” she said with a smile.

Drishti, a 17-year-old student of Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya at Janakpuri, helped a lot of people and said she would enrol as a voter when she turns 18. Sisters Fareeha Parveen (15) and Suhana (13), students of Government Girls’ Senior Secondary School at Shiv Vihar, had a busy day but wished for more.