By Mr. Nupur Das:
Since my childhood days I have been looking forth to the day on when I could exercise my right to vote. During my childhood days, on  the day of elections, I always used to make sure to visit the polling stations along with my parents just to see how the voting procedures actually functions on polling booths. I have been left with some faded memories now because as I grew up, I was debarred from entering the polling booths until my name comes up in the voters list and I attain the legitimate age of voting.
Being away from my hometown for higher studies for nearly four years, I missed the legislative assembly election voting of my state. After waiting to get the legit age of right to vote, I finally got the chance to vote for the civic body polls of my town which was scheduled on 19th of June  in between my summer vacations and I happened to be at my home. I made sure not to miss this opportunity to vote as I got desperate to exercise my right to vote for the first time. I am of the notion and everyone reading this piece of writing will agree that we the people in democratic countries like India are much privileged that we can elect our own representatives and even vote them out of power if they don’t abide by the larger interests of the public unlike in many countries where people are suppressed by tyrants and have no say in the decision and policy making of their own nation. People are even arrested or killed by the state itself for revolting against the tyrannical state for their misdoings.
On the eve of elections, just alike other parts of the country, my town was also getting ‘decked’ up with respective party posters and flags, various parties and independent candidates taking out rally across the town to publicize themselves, shouting slogans in public address systems and what not. And sometimes I wonder how much money they spent in these activities and what will be the source of their money they spent for these purpose (which is now almost an open secret though). However, the candidates interaction with the common people and discussing their agenda’s of work after getting elected was negligible. To me, it seemed more like that the candidates were more concerned and preferred taking out car and bike rally’s hoisting their party flags atop their cars and showcasing the money and muscle strength thus creating unnecessary traffic jams and inconvenience for the people who might be more concerned about the civic problems.
On the day of voting, I was amazed to see some old aged people making their way to the polling booths and standing in the queue to cast their votes. This scene not only astonished me but also inspired me to come to the polling booths every time there is an election and go back and tell my friends who simply sat back at their homes and choose not to participate in the voting and enjoy their holidays without fulfilling their duties and enjoying their rights, which had come to us after nearly struggling for two hundred years against the colonial powers. One more thing which struck my mind was the polling officials and the security personals who are responsible for conducting the polls free and fairly in their respective polling booths put a lot of physical and mental toil in conducting the elections but in return they are paid scantily by the government. Hopefully, our policy makers and planners will soon come up with better ideas and policies to make sure that the government servicemen and service women who conduct the polls get proper facilities and pay after conducting the polls.
Now, with the declarations of the poll results scheduled after five days, I look forward to it and every time I see the blue ink mark on my index finger, it makes me proud of the fact that I have exercised my right as well as completed my duty which the constitution has guaranteed to us.