It feels like the first time

Tanaji Dasgupta,a 22-year-old theatre actor,echoes the thought. “I would only want to register my presence. Otherwise voting for any one candiate would be like choosing between the devil and the deep blue sea,” says Dasgupta.

20-year-old Chitralekha Chatterjee,a student of Bhowanipore College, feels that the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) should have incorporated the no-voting option. “ I understand that it’s quite a problem to register a no-vote. I don’t want to vote for any of the representatives from my constituency,” she says.

Then there are other keen voters who feel that they have been denied the right to participate in their first elections. “Even after repeated requests my voter id card was not made. I feel a bit cheated,” says Reeti Roy,a second year student of English at Jadavpur University.

I’m quite excited about voting this year. When I caste my vote today,I’m confident about making an informed choice. Though larger issues will be in the back of my mind,I have decided that I will vote for the candidate and not the party. A candidate who works for us is more valuable than plotical parties who make false promises.

Bonhi Mukhopadhyay,21 years-old
MSc Student with Calcutta University

I want to vote for a better India. That may mean putting aside personal agendas,but I don’t care. The Lok Sabha Election is the big thing; it’s about choosing our future Prime Minister,though I am quite disgusted with the way things have been in our state in the last few years,I understand that when I caste my vote today I should keep the bigger picture in mind.

Rajarshi Bose
Aspiring Media Professional,22-years-old

I would have been a first-time voter,but my name has not come up in the voter’s list. that does not mean that I’m apathetic. It simply means that I have to wait for the next elections in order to be a first-time voter. I do attach a lot of significance to the act of voting because as a democracy it is our right to do so. Keeping in mind the slew of political events that have taken place in recent times and the way political parties have squabbled with each other simply in order to gain prominence,many people may be disgusted and that they may not want to cast their worst.

Reeti Roy
Second Year English,Jadavpur University

Last September,when I applied for my voter id card,I was termed a jaali (fake) voter. My dad had brought the form from the electoral office near his office.

It was in English and I read the instructions carefully before filling up the form. I was pretty confident that it was properly filled,but when I submitted the form in my constituency,they rejected the form on the grounds that the form is fake. According to them there is no English application form. If the electoral process turns out to be this hazardous,how are we supposed to participate in it?

Shamasis Bhattacharya
Entrepreneur,23-years-old