103 year old woman all set to exercise her franchise in upcoming polls

A 103-year-old woman Sarmaya Chettri from Jalpaiguri has joined poll fervour as she is all set to cast her vote in the upcoming general elections.

While the entire nation gears up to elect the new government, the older population is not far behind. Sarmaya Chhetri is the oldest lady of West Bengal who would be exercising her democratic rights in this election.

What makes the 103-year-old voter special is that she is among the first Indians to cast vote since 1951 when the country first went to polls.

Expressing her happiness for being witness to all the historic elections of the country, she asked the government to arrange for her transportation that would ferry her to the polling station for exercising her franchise.

"I have never missed any election. This time also I want to go to cast my vote, but if the state government arranges for a tuk tuk for old voters like us, then it would be much better," said she.

Her son, who had been accompanying her to the polling stations during all elections that she had witnessed through her life span till date, spoke about the significance of casting vote.

"All she knows is that voting is her democratic right and she has to cast her vote to elect a new government," said Chettri's son.

Sarmaya Chettri has been a witness to numerous elections held in the country, she had also seen the time when ballot boxes were carried on mules.