The pleasant morning weather brought Delhiites out of their homes, with long queues made up mostly of elderly, women and enthusiastic first-timers eager to cast their votes at polling booths across the city on Thursday.
With the heat factor playing in their minds, a large number of people reached the election booths as soon as voting commenced at 7 am. The minimum temperature in the morning was 24.8 degree Celsius, making it easier for women and senior citizens to venture out.
The youngsters exercising their franchise for the first time were specially excited to get the indelible ink mark on their forefingers.
While the roads wore a deserted look making it convenient for the commuters, the polling booths saw a swell of people with voters making a beeline to cast their ballots.
Even age could not dampen the spirit of the voters. One could see elderly couples holding hands progressing towards their respective booths in various parts of the city.
91-year-old Vishambar Das who came along with his 80-year-old wife Krishnawati to vote, said, "I came with a desire that government should do good work and should work for people like us."
Voting since the first general elections in 1952, Praduymn Prasad, 86, summed up the mood, saying "even though the situation is deteriorating, I still have faith in democracy. If not for myself, I will vote for the next generation."
Youngsters, in an upbeat mood, were seen queueing up in large numbers, with most of them terming development as the key issue before the country.
"I came to vote for the development of the country. A particular area getting developed does not matter. The entire country should grow," Aditi, a 22-year-old student of Delhi University, said.
Scores of keen morning-walkers who took a detour from their usual route to cast an early ballot, faced a unique problem of managing their pets.As many of them turned up along with their dogs, they took turns to cast their votes.
For some others, finding out the polling station was a hassle. Several elderly voters in Jamia Nagar complained that they had a problem in locating their polling booths.
For 50-year-old Anil, the travel to Makhanpur village from his home in Indira Puram was worth it as he voted for the first time in his life after living abroad for years.
A number of physically challenged persons voted in Tilak Nagar, Trilokpuri, Mongolpuri and Hari Nagar area.
Physical discomfort could not stop 80-year-old retired MTNL officer, Ram Das, to exercise his franchise. He came at a polling booth in Hari Nagar with a urine bag attached.
