Jumbo family of 99 members casts vote in Chikkaballapur

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: With 99 voters, the Badam family in Chikkaballapur became the centre of attraction as the members arrived together early in the morning to cast their votes at the Government Junior College of the district's 19th ward on Friday.

Speaking to News Trail after voting, Gopalakrishna, a member of the Badam family, said that they have made it a point to vote en masse during the elections.

"We all come together and vote as we believe that it instills a unique example of unity, harmony and bonding," he said.

Gopalakrishna said that the family members have voted ten to fifteen times so far. Polling at the urban and rural Chikkaballapur Lok Sabha constituencies began as early as 7 am and went up to 6 pm on Friday.

Thousands of people including the first time voters turned up at their polling centers despite the soaring temperatures and casted their votes.

Members of the Badam family including the ones staying in different locations across the state, had assembled at their house near the Girls School Road here a day before elections so that they can start early to the polling booth on Friday.

Rakshita, a first time voter and a resident of Prashanth Nagar, shared her experience after casting her vote at the polling center number 149 in the district.

"I did not know how to vote and was nervous. My parents and elders in the family had instructed me and my cousins, who are also voting for the first time, on how to cast our vote. I'm feeling happy after voting," she said.

Another first timer, Yuvraj, a student pursuing MBBS, was also a first-time voter in the family.

"I casted my first vote today. I'm feeling proud to have exercised my right and also to have a sense of responsibility towards the nation and its development," he said.

Didn't know how to vote. Our parents talked a little about voting at home. However, not much was known about the voting process. Voted now.

MBBS Rakshita shared her experience after the first voting saying that she was happy. At the same polling centre, a man was seen carrying his physically challenged brother on his shoulders to cast vote.

Abdul Hameed, a disabled person, who came with the help of his elder brother, to exercise his right to vote here.