Choosing life partners and political representatives

Karnataka: It seems like Saturday was a jam-packed day for many. There were multiple weddings across Karnataka and if you remember, a state assembly election.

Being busy with wedding ceremonies and guests did not stand in the way of them exercising their right as they found time in the middle of the ceremonies or soon after the wedding to rush to their respective polling booths to cast their votes.

Minutes before the solemnization of her wedding, Smitha, in her bridal attire entered the polling station at Kandanakolli village in Madikeri taluk of Kodagu district to vote.

Manini and Vijay Kumar Tehshildar made a quick stop at the polling booth before they rushed to their marriage hall at Khasayi Galli in Belagavi. The would-be couple were also dressed up in their wedding outfits. They were allowed to jump the queue and vote keeping their urgent appointment in mind. The presiding officer even wished them a happy married life.

The bride, Ms. Manini told reporters that she had discussed about it with her groom a long time ago.

“We knew the dates would clash. We decided to vote first and get married later,” she said.

Bride Violla Maria Fernandes, a teacher at St. Lawrence English Medium School wedding in Mangaluru came in early in the morning and was the first one to vote in the polling booth no. 129 set up in the same school. Immediately after exercising her right, Ms. Fernandes rushed to Belthangady, 60 km away, for her wedding with Sylvester Rodrigues at 10.30 a.m. Mr. Rodrigues too exercised his franchise at Belthangady before the wedding.

In Hubballi, newly wed couples Sainath Raju Pawar and Suman, and Praveen Raju Pawar and Vandana voted. After completing the marriage rituals, they arrived at Pendar Galli Government School and cast their vote.