Sarah Cohen, 93, the oldest member of Mattancherry’s thinning Jewish community, made up for bunking the Parliament polls by casting her vote in the local body polls on Thursday. Never one to miss the elections, she could not vote in the parliament polls as it was held on a Saturday — observed by the Jews as Sabbath day, meant for rest and recuperation.
“She was quite sad that she could not vote then and was looking forward to the local polls. I’m happy that I helped her fulfil her wish,” says Thaha Ibrahim, who along with his spouse Jasmine helped her travel to Haji Essa HajiMoosa Memorial High School in Mattancherry to cast her vote.
Mr. Ibrahim and Jasmine, who have been assisting the elderly lady for several years now, took her to booth no. 6 at the school in an autorickshaw.
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“We went to the polling station by noon. Sceptical about her ability to sign, the officer asked if her thumb impression should be taken. But I said, ‘she signs her cheques and will put a signature’. She signed the register and my wife helped her to the polling counter where she cast her vote with a beaming face,” Mr. Ibrahim said. The Jew Street falls in Ward No. 5 of the Kochi Corporation. While it was reserved for women in the last polls, it is a general seat this time around.