Political parties bribing voters with money, sarees and liquor is common. But this time, activists and private firms, including schools and hospitals, too are providing incentives to people so that they make it to the booths.
They range from a two-mark incentive for your child in school to an additional casual leave for employees to free cab rides to the polling booths.
The administration of St Martha’s Hospital, for example, has announced that staff members who vote will get a day’s casual leave. “Employees will be allowed to take time off their working hours to vote. On display of the indelible voting ink mark, the employee will be provided a day’s casual leave that they can avail of at a later date,” said an official statement from the hospital.
The Citizen Action Forum, meanwhile, has organised a car-pooling initiative in Sanjaynagar, Banasawadi, and other areas to pick up and drop senior citizens, physically challenged and women to polling booths and back to their homes.
“We observed that there are also logistics issues many face to reach polling booths. So we have organised this car pooling initiative. Many volunteers have come forward to help their neighbours to cast their votes,” said D S Rajashekhar, president, CAF.
Cab service provider Uber, has offered a free drop to polling booths to first time Uber service users.
