Free benne dosa, free auto rides, special discounts for voters on polling day

To encourage voting, many establishments in Bengaluru, including restaurants, are o¢ering goods and services for free or at a discounted price to those who vote in the Lok Sabha election on Friday.

The Nisarga Grand hotel on Nrupatunga Road will give benne (butter) dosa, ghee laddu, and juice to those who show their inked ¦ngers on voting day under the ‘Vote maadi, oota maadi’ (cast your vote and have food) campaign. The hotel has done such campaigns for four (Assembly and Lok Sabha) elections since 2018.

“It is a sad thing that there was only 54% voting in Bengaluru during the last Lok Sabha elections. It is our right to vote in a democracy. As a part of our ongoing e¢orts to create awareness about this, some eateries are o¢ering some food items like sweets and cakes either at a discounted price or for free, for those who display their inked ¦ngers,” said P.C. Rao, president, Bruhat Bengaluru Hoteliers Association.

Transport aggregator app Rapido has teamed up with the Election Commission of India and the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike to extend free autorickshaw and cab rides to senior citizens and di¢erently abled voters on Friday under the ‘SawaariZimmedariKi’ initiative. Voters can use the code ‘VOTENOW’ to avail themselves of these exclusive rides.

Apart from these o¢ers, amusement park Wonderla, near Bidadi, has also announced a 15% discount on tickets to the park on April 26, 27, and 28 to those who show the indelible ink mark on their ¦ngers. ‘Proactive for Her’, a women’s health clinic chain, has announced a 10% o¢ on all its services for voters on the election day.