Fresh faces on Kolkata poll roll: Metiabruz, Jadavpur, Kasba lead new voters

KOLKATA: The countdown has started for many young electors to experience casting votes for the first time. Till the last Assembly elections in 2021, they mostly accompanied their parents to the polling booths, where they stood outside.

Now that they are voters, they are waiting for the day when they also enter those booths and select a candidate of their choice on electronic voting machines (EVMs).

In Kolkata, the highest 4,924 Form 6 additions (new voters) were at Metiabruz, followed by 3,910 additions at Jadavpur and 3,753 additions at Kasba, according to the Election Commission's figures. Beleghata got 3,259 new voters, while 2,277 youngsters got their names enrolled as voters in Chowringhee. Jorasanko and Shyampukur got 1,558 and 1,329 new voters, respectively, while 927 names were added to the electoral roll in Ballygunge and 18 to that in Bhowanipore.

Sreeshadri Maji, (18), said, "For me, casting a ballot in India will be an exciting and proud experience. I will feel like I made a tiny but significant contribution to the future of the country when I press the machine's button and get the ink mark."

Garia resident Subham Roy Choudhury, a student of a private college off EM Bypass, said, "Finally, the day is arriving for me to say that I have voted for the first time. I have waited for a long time to experience this."

Sujan Chakraborty, a new voter from Salt Lake, said, "This is the first time I will get to enter a polling booth and press the EVM button. I am very excited about it."

Sreemoyee Chakroborty, a final-year student of St Xavier's College, said, "I made the effort to get my voter card this time. My father insisted that I do it; otherwise, I was very reluctant. But this time, I had to meet the BLO of our area and submit all the required documents. So, after making all these efforts, I must vote to be part of history in the making."

Fresh voter Saumyadip Kayal, a BPharm student of an institute in Durgapur, said, "This is also a special year for me because my name was added to the voter list. I applied online for a new voter card, and after that, I got a call from my family saying that I had to meet the BLO with a set of documents. I took three days' leave and submitted all the documents for verification. Now I am just waiting for the day to cast my vote. As a new voter, I want job opportunities to increase so that we do not have to go to other states for work."

(With inputs from Suman Chakrabarti)