Elderly, vulnerable voters overcome odds to vote in Municipal elections

A police officer assisting an elderly voter in a wheelchair at a polling station at Nagari in Chittoor district on Sunday. | Photo Credit: By Arrangement

An elderly voter slowly making her way to a polling booth, a wheelchair-bound senior citizen being helped by a policemen, and a pregnant women seeking relief from the unusually hot November sun were some of the scenes witnessed during Sunday’s municipal elections in Chittoor, Annamayya and Sri Sathya Sai districts.

For many senior citizens, particularly spectuagerians and beyond, casting a vote was not an easy exercise. Some needed support to negotiate steps and crowded entrances, while others struggled to stand in queues under the hot sun. Despite all the hardships, their determination to exercise their franchise brought a distinctly human touch to the electoral exercise.

At Dharmavaram in Sri Sathya Sai district, policemen assisted several elderly voters in wheelchairs, helping them reach the polling station. It was among the day’s more heart-warming scenes, demonstrating how election duty could extend beyond maintaining law and order to ensuring that no voter was left behind.

“For municipal elections, it’s a unique phenomenon to see enthusiastic participation of elderly voters, and they refused to surrender to age, disability or heat. I bow to their determination to honour their right to vote,” Sri Sathya Sai district Superintendent of Police (SP) S. Satish Kumar told The Hindu.

“Heavy police presence provided an added layer of reassurance. Personnel stationed around polling booths and mobile teams helped to maintain zero trouble and instil confidence, particularly among women and elderly voters,” the SP said.

Superintendent of Police Dheeraj Kunubilli inspecting a polling station at Madanapalle in Annamayya district on Sunday. | Photo Credit: By Arrangement

In Chittoor, Madanapalle, Nagari and Hindupur, candidates of different political parties also swung into action, arranging transport and assistance for elderly voters, persons with disabilities, pregnant women and lactating mothers from their doorsteps. The competition between parties briefly took a different form, with candidates and their supporters helping people reach polling booths.

Buttermilk and other beverages were distributed at several locations, as the voters turned up at the booths. Children accompanying their parents received chocolates and biscuits, offering some distraction from the long waits. Drinking water and restroom facilities, including those meant for pregnant and lactating mothers, were available without major complaints.

However, complaints about voter-list confusion surfaced at several areas in Chittoor and Hindupur. Several people said their polling stations had been shifted to neighbouring wards, inconveniencing senior citizens and voters with mobility issues.

Published - November 01, 2026 06:44 pm IST