THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chandrika at Kaithode Adivasi Village wants to vote. She needs to travel 12 kms from Kaithode to reach the polling station at Podiyath.

Chandrika has lost the ability of both legs. She uses her hands to drag herself out to the road, which is 1.5 kms away. She has a bedridden brother. There is no one to assist her. It was at that time that Chandrika and Sindhu, two Anganwadi teachers, happened to see her. They asked her, “Are you coming to vote?” Chandrika’s face lit up.

They helped her get inside a jeep. Chandrika reached the polling booth and cast her vote and returned home on that jeep.

Anganwadi teachers Chandrika and Sindhu are specially trained by the EC to help differently abled voters at Adivasi regions to reach their polling booths.

Madhu and Ayyapan at Amala Adivasi Village cast their votes similarly.

The polling booth at Podiyam is deep inside a forest. All voters within that forest region have to cast their votes at Podiyam.