Driver stops the bus mid-way, races to the polling booth to vote

Mangaluru: A bus driver stopped the bus midway through the journey to exercise his franchise and a video depicting the driver on duty delivering his duty as a citizen has gone viral on social media.

The bus driver identified as Vijay Shetty (55) from Belvai Kukkudelu, drives the private bus from Mangaluru to Shivamogga. However on Thursday April 18^th, he stopped the bus en route to Shimoga at Belvai village near Moodbidri to cast his vote.

On the polling day in Dakshina Kannada district, the responsible driver of the private bus with an aim to cast his vote stopped the bus as it reached the polling station at the school near Belvai Churchat around 4:45 pm in the evening, alighted from the vehicle, ran towards the booth, cast his vote, returned back and carried onwards with the journey. Interestingly, he achieved the entire act within 2 minutes!

“It is our right, it’s a sign of life,” says Mr Shetty proudly sharing his pleasure.

During the last panchayat election too, he employed the same method to cast his vote. When contacted for more information, he aid that previously when he was working on the Bhatkal route, he would cast his vote in morning and then report to work.

Mr Shetty’s daughter Deepa who is presently employed with Wipro in Bengaluru also had come down to her hometown to cast her vote.