Bidhannagar subdivision recorded a lower voter count in the 18-21 age group compared to the average of the 33 assembly constituencies in North 24-Parganas in the summary revision of electoral rolls in 2018.

“It could have happened because many did not turn up to get their names enrolled or had gone out of town for higher studies,” said subdivisional officer of Bidhannagar and the assistant returning officer of Barasat Parliamentary constituency Saikat Chakraborty.

So his office took extra initiative this time to boost the number of new voters. In course of a programme organised on the occasion of National Voters’ Day at the municipal sports complex ground, some of them were felicitated while being handed their Electoral Photo Identity Cards.

Thus January 25 will remain doubly special for a bunch of Baisakhi youngsters.

Rupshali Ghosh could hardly contain her excitement. The Class XII student of Sri Aurobindo Institute of Education was waiting for the day ever since she turned 18 in July. “Every time I used to enter a conversation on any serious topic with my cousin she would tell me off, saying I was a kid and not even a citizen.”

So the first thing she did on getting the card was change her WhatsApp status. “I wanted to tell didi: Eibar dyakh (Now see)!” Then she sent a text message to her father that she had finally become a citizen.

Rupshali said she would go to the polling booth as an educated voter. “My grandmother Maya Monigram was a councillor from Baisakhi in the 2000-2005 term. So I have politics in my blood,” she smiled.

Her friend Sayantani Dutta is also serious about the voting process. “I am a student of history after all. I want to put in practice my political ideology,” said the Presidency University second year student.

Her peer group in the university, she said, was divided into two groups. “All are politically conscious but some feel it is important to vote while the others feel their vote would hardly make a difference if lumpen elements get a free run. So they would go and vote for NOTA (None of the above).” But in her residential complex, there were quite a few, she conceded, who were least interested in elections.

But neither Sreyashi Saha nor Megha Sil is overly interested in political affairs. “I am simply curious about the voting process since I have never gone to vote,” says Megha, a Baghbazar Women’s College student.

The felicitation took everyone by surprise except Megha, whose father works in the subdivisional office itself.

“Four of my batchmates staying elsewhere in the city also received their cards on Friday. They were shocked to hear about the programme,” said Sayantani.

A battle won

Getting the card was by itself an uphill task for Sourav Nath Saha of BF Block. The 28-year-old is confined to a wheelchair. “He is a spastic person. We never dared to apply for a card as we were unsure how cumbersome the process would be. Office buildings in India are hardly disabled-friendly. Even if he got a card, the polling booths were likely to be difficult to reach for him,” said his father Subrata.

But Sourav is very interested to vote, he said. “He must have felt even worse after his sister, two and half years younger to him, started going to vote as well.”

So when the Sahas heard that the Election Commission of India was laying stress on enfranchising persons with disability this year, they decided to take a chance.

The requisite form was collected from the booth level officers. “They were very helpful in guiding us with the paperwork but said Sourav would have to be produced once in office for the process to be complete.”

Crossing the few steps to reach the elevator at the SDO’s office was an uphill task. “The guard carried his wheelchair while the two of us supported our son up the stairs. But once we reached the first floor, we were told that an exemption could have been made for him. The officials were very prompt.” Since Sourav does not have control over his fingers he could not sign. But his parents did not want to sign on his behalf. “We requested that he be allowed to put his thumb impression since he was present himself.”

Sourav was handed his EPIC last Friday, 10 years late but better late than never.

Deputy magistrate Manish Das hands over EPIC to first time voter Rupshali Ghosh. The Telegraph picture

Sourav Nath Saha with his new EPIC. The Telegraph picture