Pathanamthitta/Wayanad (Kerala), April 9 A newly-married couple in the Pathanamthitta district of Kerala made a special stop at the polling station on Thursday, heading straight from their wedding to cast their votes.
Their detour was a statement about the importance of democratic participation.
Joining them in the spirit of the day, another bride from the northern Wayanad district also made sure to vote first before heading off to her own wedding ceremony.
Divyasree and Ashwant, who got married around 9 am, turned up to vote close to noon, right from the wedding hall.
Speaking to reporters, the couple said that it was a joint decision to turn up to vote.
Ashwant said that the wedding date was fixed in January, well before the polling date was announced, and therefore, it was a coincidence that both fell on the same day.
He also said that he had missed many voting opportunities as he worked outside the state, but he used to vote whenever he was in Kerala.
His wife said that she always used to exercise her right to vote.
The couple said that their message to society is that everyone should vote.
They said that neither was politically active, but voting was a non-political act.
Just like them, Akhila Antony, a native of Meppadi in Wayanad district, arrived to vote in her wedding attire barely an hour before her marriage was scheduled at a church in Mananthavady at 10:30 am.
She decided to vote first as it would not have been possible after the wedding, Akhila told media.
On seeing her in the bridal attire, polling officials and locals made arrangements for her to vote quickly and after that she left for the wedding venue.