Kanpur: Newly-wed couples vow to cast their votes at mass wedding ceremony

As many as 11 newly-wed couples on Friday took vows to cast their votes in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

The mass wedding ceremony was organised by Adivasi Kalyan Samiti here. The wedding venue had scores of banners reading "Athava vachan hai zaruri, matdan ki prakriya karen puri" (the eighth marriage vow is important, complete the voting process).

After the wedding ceremony, the newlywed couples pledged to cast their votes in the ensuing elections."Through this wedding, we want to send the message that it is paramount to vote. People take seven vachan (marriage vows), but today, these 11 couples took the eighth vachan to cast their votes," said the head of the organising committee Manoj Kumar.

The organisers gave beds, refrigerators among other items as gifts to the newly-weds.

Seven phased elections in the country will begin on April 11 and will go on till May 19. Uttar Pradesh goes to polls in all seven phases from April 11 to May 19. The counting of votes will be held on May 23.