Meet Chinnamma, The 81-year-old Karnataka Woman Who Has Voted 41 Times So Far

In a generation where many Indian citizens often do not have time to visit polling stations, an old lady from Karnataka’s Chamarajanagar district is a role model for all young people in this regard. Due to standing in a queue to vote, young people tend to stay away from voting. They prefer staying at their homes.

But, the 81-year-old Chinnamma from Chikkati village in Karnataka, so far, has voted 41 times. Not only that, she hopes to increase this number by contesting the Lok Sabha elections on April 26. So far, Chinnamma has joined the local cooperative organisations including the Gram Panchayat, Zilla Panchayat, Vidhan Sabha and Lok Sabha elections. Every time she votes, she participates in the with enthusiasm. Recently, she cast her vote in the dairy elections as well.

“Don’t forget to vote, it is our right. I appeal to the young voters that it is our responsibility to choose a good candidate for the country”, Chinnamma said to Local18.

Similarly, a remarkable 97-year-old woman Tijiya Bai Sahu, from a remote village in the Durg district of Chhattisgarh, passionately urges, “Drop everything and cast your vote first”. Last year, the Election Commission of India provided the elderly with the opportunity to vote from the comfort of their homes. Despite that, Tijiya Bai insisted on reaching the polling station on time to cast her vote.

A resident of Auri village in Borai panchayat of Patan block in Durg district, Tijiya Bai inspired voters of all ages as she embodies a deep sense of civic duty. Tijiya Bai said, “Despite my age and health problems, I am determined to exercise my right to vote in person. As an elderly person of over 95 years, there is an option to vote from the comfort of my home using a ballot paper, but all these years I have always gone to the polling booth to cast my vote and I will continue to do so.”

“I want to go to the polling station and vote,” she says determinedly. “It is a celebration of democracy and I want to be a part of it. Voting in person makes me feel more connected to the process and allows me to contribute to our great nation,” she added.