Elderly woman from Odisha on oxygen support visits polling booth to cast votes

Bhubaneswar: During the third phase of simultaneous polls to Lok Sabha and Legislative Assembly, an elderly couple exercised their right to franchise today here, despite severe illness. The elderly woman was seen with a portable oxygen kit in a polling booth at Raj Bhavan UP school premises.

The elderly man was identified as Suren Jhunjhunwala, who resides in a nearby locality.

According to a source, the elderly voter arrived at the polling booth with a tube inserted into her nostril to smoothly deliver oxygen. She was unable to walk but cast her votes as a bonafide citizen.

Suren’s wife has been suffering from old age-related complications for nearly the last 25 years.

“We are excited to cast our votes despite health complications. We need to elect the right candidates for healthy democratic governance in the country and hence must vote,” Suren said mediapersons.

“I am happy that I could exercise my fundamental right to franchise,” Suren’s wife expressed.

Worth mentioning, Odisha has gone to twin polls in four phases that started on May 13. The elections are being held in 37,898 polling stations at 30,023 places in at least 21 Parliamentary Constituencies (PCs) and 147 Assembly Constituencies (ACs) in the State. Three phases of the simultaneous polls were previously held on May 13, May 20, and May 25. The last phase of elections will be held on June 1.