More than 5.5k voters in Karnataka are over 100 years old

BENGALURU: Political parties may be chanting the ‘Young India’ mantra while handing out tickets to candidates, but more than 1.5 lakh voters in the state are aged above 90 years, as per data from the Election Commission.

Of these, 5,579 are more than 100 years old, while nearly 1.47 lakh are between 90 years and 99 years, besides another 32 lakh in the 70 years and 90 years age group. The state has more than 5.1 crore voters.

The Election Commission plans to literally roll out the red carpet for these voters across the state to ensure their brief visit to polling booths on April 18 and 23 passes off comfortably.

From wheelchairs to free pick-ups and drops, a slew of measures will be put in place to make voting as comfortable as possible for these voters, officials said. Some of these voters have been exercising their franchise from 1951— the first time independent India went to vote.

Mysuru DC Abhiram G Sankar said: “Besides providing wheelchairs and arranging transport, we’ll also ensure volunteers’ assistance at poll booths.”

District administrations and the Election Commission have made similar arrangements for voters in the 100+ club in all other constituencies.

Officials said the facilities will be extended to senior citizens and others who may need them.

Lexicographer Prof G Venkatasubbaiah, freedom fighter HS Doreswamy and environmentalist Saalumarada Thimmakka from Bengaluru region — which has 736 such voters — are among the well-known faces in the 100+ club. Of the districts, Tumakuru, with 535 has the highest number of centenarians, followed closely by Mysuru, which has 530 such voters. Tumakuru, incidentally, also has the oldest candidate in the fray: 86-year-old former PM HD Deve Gowda.

K Jyothi, Mysuru zilla panchayat chief executive officer (CEO) and nodal officer, Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP), said she will hold discussions with education department authorities on using the services of high school students, especially those from the National Cadet Corps (NCC) and Scouts and Guides as volunteers. It could not immediately be confirmed if other districts too are employing such measures.