Kolkata: Many youngsters who are either studying or working in other states and abroad have decided to return home during election time so that they can exercise their franchise. Most of them said they had skipped casting their votes in previous elections. Dancing to the tune of the special intensive revision (SIR) of the electoral roll, when they received numerous calls from BLOs and heard summons, these electors are firm to press the buttons of their choice on the EVMs. Jayanti Mazumdar from Rashbehari, now settled in South Africa, visits her parents back home once every year. During the SIR, her septuagenarian father attended a hearing on her behalf as her surname had a spelling mismatch. ” I altered my home visit calendar this time and I eagerly looked forward to the announcement of poll dates. In the previous Assembly elections in 2021, I stayed away from voting, but this time after the SIR I decided that I should not let my voting right go out of my hand,” she said.Soumyo Roy, who lives in Mumbai, said: “I did not vote for the past few years, but this year is very special as we became part of history. I got a call for the hearing, but my father appeared on my behalf. However, I want to be in the city during poll time to experience the essence of the biggest festival of democracy and celebrate, as after all these hurdles, my name is still there on the voter list.”Moumita Chatterjee, an employee of a Mumbai-based firm, said: “I have already got my manager’s approval to take a week’s leave and visit my home in Garia. I don’t want to miss the opportunity of voting as it will be my first stint with the EVM.”Subhankar Maity is currently working in Hyderabad, but he is eager to return to his Jodhpur Park home during the election as he acquired voting rights this year through Form 6. “All these years I flanked my parents to the polling booth, but now I too have become a voter. I deferred my trip home this year only because I want to participate in the polling process.”Aatmaja Sarkar, who is pursuing higher studies in Mumbai, is also flying back to her Baghajatin home to cast her vote for the first time. “I think everyone should exercise their voting right. When the BLO confirmed to me that my name was enlisted as a voter, I changed my home tour calendar to the poll time. Now that the poll dates have been announced, I am booking my flight ticket despite the soaring airfare,” she said.Aadrita Bandyopadhyay, a resident of Dum Dum, is currently working in Delhi. She has taken a 10-day leave from her office to visit home during the poll time.(With inputs from Sejuti Das)
