'When I cast my first vote'

In the run-up to India's general elections, the BBC's Hindi service asked listeners to recall the first time they cast a ballot.

Here are some of the responses.

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I first voted in 1977. In Aamer, the ancient capital of the royal principality of Jaipur, I came across the party workers of various political parties.

I got my ballot paper and entered the polling booth. There I was filled with excitement. My hands started shaking but I gathered myself and stamped the ballot paper.

After voting I felt more confident. I felt I was a very important person in my country. Since then I have voted in almost every election. But I have never felt the same excitement again.
Vijay Kumar Bhatt, Jaipur

I first voted in 1989 when there was an anti-Rajiv Gandhi wave sweeping not just Uttar Pradesh but the entire country. I also went along with the sentiment until I saw and heard him speak in Allahabad in October 1990.

Today conditions have deteriorated. In 2001 despite having the ballot paper I could not cast my vote as my name was missing from the voter list.
Shahshikant Mishra, Devriya, Uttar Pradesh

I first voted in the last general election. I have to go and vote in my hometown which is roughly 450km away from where I live now. I had two reasons to vote for the party that I chose. Firstly my entire family votes for the same party and secondly the political party sends me a ticket to go to visit my hometown.

I did not have any special hopes from the party that I voted for but I still cast my ballot in their favour because I use the ticket the party sends me not just to exercise my franchise but also to meet my family.
Aditya, Hyderabad

I have voted just once, in 1999. In that instance I cast my vote against the Telgu Desam-BJP coalition. I voted against them because I think they are communal parties.

My sole aim was that the coalition should be defeated. The man I voted for won the election. My vote was against communalism.
Ahmed Attaullah, Hyderabad

The only thing that I remember about my first voting experience is that Jawaharlal Nehru was the prime minister and his Congress party was in the fray.

I have lost my eyesight now but that time my eyes were clear and bright. I don't remember the name of the candidate for whom I voted.

At that time Gandhi Baba, Nehru, Maulana Azad and Mohammad Ali Jinnah used to dominate the political landscape. The atmosphere was different then. Now my great-grandsons take me to the polling centre so that I can vote.
Habib Miyan (125 years old), Jaipur

I first voted for the ruling coalition. I voted for Chandrababu Naidu because he has changed the face of Hyderabad. He has done a lot of work. There is no point in sitting at home - it is better to go out and vote for someone who is working.
T Ramakrishba, Hyderabad

I cast my vote to elect the first lower house of parliament. Dr Rajendra Prasad was the president then. I remember the entirety of Mumbai [Bombay] had become ecstatic when India won its independence. People thought that the country would improve and the prices would go down, but that has not happened so far.

The first parliamentary election was fine but during the election for the second parliament, votes were bought for five rupees. At that time five rupees was a lot of money for the man on the street.
K J Vohra, Bombay

I voted for the first time in 1977 with the din of electioneering all around. But when I look back and compare the elections then and now, I feel the procedure has changed a great deal. There were hardly any rowdies then, but these days anti-social elements rule the roost.

I remember there was a long queue for voting and candidates at that time were also sensitive towards public's needs. I was very much excited because I was going to vote for the first time. I really enjoyed my first experience of voting but now I am not particularly interested in it.
Radhika Deshmukh, Bombay

I voted in 1991. I was excited that I was going to vote. I was happy because I could bring a party to power by using my right as a voter. So many of us went in excitement to cast our vote but when the results came, I thought 'was a single vote worth it?' And after that first experience, I never participated in voting.
Versha Beri, Bombay

I was in 10th standard when I voted for the first time and I was not even 18. My parents were going to cast their vote so I also felt that I should also go to cast vote. And using all tricks in the book, I managed to vote. Interestingly, my parents voted for one party and I for a completely different one.
Pravin Kumar, Narayana Vihar, Delhi

I voted for the first time in 1999 and it was a fake vote. I cast my elder brother's vote. On reaching the polling booth, I got scared of the armed guards of the paramilitary forces but then I was determined to cast my vote. The officials inquired about my name and then allowed me to vote.

Then I showed off the ink mark on my finger to all my friends because among them I was the only one who had voted, despite the fact that my name was actually not there on the voter list. I felt happy because the candidate for whom I had voted won the election.
Ashish Ranjan, Bihar

In our family, we often used to discuss politics and all the family members would argue defending their respective favourite candidates. When I voted for the first time, this feeling was exhilarating. I felt that I am also contributing in nation building.
Amit Pandey, US

I come from Itawa district in Uttar Pradesh, where people are politically quite aware. Voting is viewed as a festival in my district. I cast my first vote in favour of late prime minister Indira Gandhi. I was really excited on that day.
Ramasre Yadav, Allahabad

I got my first voting experience when I was still 16. I was very curious and when I saw people voting for the first time, I got excited. I had to stand in the queue for a long time, still I was enjoying it.

During those days elections used to be fought with a lot of fanfare but these days all that is gone. Now I don't feel interested in it but since voting has become a moral duty, I cast my vote. Also, these days there is hardly any scope for fake voting.
Shiraz Merchant, Bombay

I was a 21-year old college student when I cast my first vote. I wanted to elect a capable leader for the country but my candidate lost the election and a criminal candidate was elected. I was very disappointed and ever since I could never vote for my favourite candidate.
Jaldip Kumar Singh, New Delhi

Now the atmosphere has changed. That era was different. Now everything is electronic.
Dinesh Kumar Saini, Kuwait

There is a big difference between the voting experience then and now. There are good reasons for that. Now that excitement is missing.
Himmat Singh Bhati, Jodhpur

My first voting experience came in 1986 but I was away from my own town of Rae Bareilly. My name was not there on the voting list - still I voted successfully.

When I reached the polling booth, I was asked about my residence and I picked up an argument with people manning the booth. However, I did cast my vote. And my candidate won the election.
Manu Krishan, Uttar Pradesh

I was in Badaun district of Uttar Pradesh and when I turned 18, I got the voting right. I was a blind follower of the Bharatiya Janata Party during that election. When I reached the polling booth and gave my name, I was shocked to learn that somebody else had already voted in my name.

Dejected, I came back home. Suddenly a congressman came to my house and said that he could arrange for my voting, provided I agreed to vote in favour of the Congress Party. And he actually managed to let me vote in some other booth. I voted 15 times, not for the Congress but for the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Sachin Gupta, Germany

I participated in the first-ever free election in the history of Nepal. I was only 12 and had no idea what election was all about. But I was made to vote in somebody else's name. When I think of that incident, I regret that I was so stupid.
Rajkumar Adhikari, Nepal

Although now I cast my vote in Canada, I still clearly remember my days in Dehra Dun when I went to cast my vote for the first time. There were huge posters plastered all over the place and scores of party workers were roaming about. They were canvassing for their respective parties.

Everything was so much different from here [Canada]. And after the voting came the counting. People were glued to their radios or TV sets.
Ashok Dhaul, Canada

When I first cast my vote I was just 12 years old although falsely declared I was 53 years old. When the polling official saw me in line he asked my name. Budhan Mehta, I declared loudly. He asked my age so I said I was 53 years old.

The official and I both smiled at each other. I said I want to see how one votes. I don't remember who I voted for.
Arvind Kumar, Patna, Bihar