Voters board "Shiksha Express" in Bihar to exercise franchise

It is an express train that only a few voters can board.

Welcome onboard "Shiksha Express" in Vaishali Lok Sabha segment, where voting is underway in two polling booths.

The building of a government school at Kanti block of Muzaffarpur district in the constituency has been painted in shades and designs which give the feel of a railway station with a train compartment stationed on the premises, beckoning visitors for an onward journey.

"The school was painted this way and named Shiksha Express in order to make learning an exciting experience for the students. We are glad that the endeavour has also made it attractive to adults taking part in the dance of democracy," said Block Development Officer Uma Bharti.

The polling stations have also been declared pink booths which imply that all personnel, except those entrusted with security, are women, she said.

"Two booths - numbers 38 and 39 - in Vaishali segment have been set up in the school building. Both were designated as model booths, which means arrangements hav been made for drinking water, sheds to avoid Sun while waiting in the queue, and an amusement zone for children who may be accompanying their mothers," the BDO said.

The Vaishali Lok Sabha constituency has altogether 1,803 polling stations, 302 of these falling under Kanti assembly segment.

One of the primary contestants here is veteran RJD leader and former Union minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, who had represented the seat five times on the trot before losing it to Lok Janshakti Party's Rama Singh, who rode the Modi wave of 2014.

The LJP has, however, replaced its sitting MP - a mafia don-turned-politician - with Veena Devi, who is a former MLA and was earlier with the BJP.