Arunachal voters flocking to booths despite inclement weather

Arunachal Pradesh wore a festive look today with enthusiastic youth and women voters flocking polling booths since early morning to cast their votes for the simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly polls.
Braving inclement weather after overnight downpour, voters thronged polling booths since 6 AM, an hour before polling, to exercise their franchise in their best outfits.
Long queues of women and youth could be seen in most of the polling stations waiting patiently for their turn to cast their votes.
"We want to cast our vote as early as possible because we will have to attend to household chores for the rest of the day," said 45-year-old Godak Yami from Niti Vihar.

"We want to be a part of the democratic process and prove our importance in decision making," housewife Supriya Majumdar of Chimpu area said.
Prominent voters like Governor Lt Gen (Retd) Nirbhay Singh and his wife cast their votes from a polling booth near the Raj Bhawan.

Chief Minister Nabam Tuki also exercised his franchise from Sagalee constituency in Papum Pare district.
Massive campaign by the district administrations to create awareness among voters to exercise their franchise has been successful in the state with a large turnout of electorate in the morning hours despite inclement weather, Chief Electoral Officer Chandra Bhusan Kumar said.

Youths, including first time voters in the state comprising 12.5 per cent of the total electorate of 7,53,150, also flocked to the booths in hordes.
"I am very excited to cast my vote for the first time. I am aware that my vote is valuable and will not let it go waste", Tai Natam of Pachin Colony said.