Setting an example: Sainath Raju Pawar and Suman, and Praveen Raju Pawar and Vandana voted after entering into wedlock in Hubballi on Saturday. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement Saturday was the most important day in the lives of five couples in different districts, as it was their wedding day. They were busy with wedding ceremonies and the guests, but that did not come in the way of them exercising their franchise as they found time in the middle of the ceremonies or soon after the wedding to rush to their respective polling booths to cast their votes. Minutes before the solemnisation of her wedding, Smitha, decked in finery, entered the polling station at Kandanakolli village in Madikeri taluk of Kodagu district much to the surprise of people gathered to vote. She stood in the queue and voted. Manini and Vijay Kumar Tehshildar rushed to the polling booth before they drove to their marriage hall at Khasayi Galli in Belagavi. The would-be couple, who were dressed up in wedding attire, spent a few minutes in the queue before the polling staff noticed them. The staff allowed them to jump the queue and vote. The presiding officer wished them a happy married life. Ms. Manini told reporters that she had spoken about it to her groom long ago. “We knew the dates would clash. We decided to vote first and get married later,” she said. In another instance, Violla Maria Fernandes, stood an example for her students as she exercised franchise before her wedding in Mangaluru on Saturday. Ms. Fernandes teaches at St. Lawrence English Medium School in the city. She was the first one to vote in the polling booth no. 129 set up in the same school in Mangaluru City North Assembly constituency. Immediately after exercising her franchise, Ms. Fernandes rushed to Belthangady, 60 km away, for her wedding with Sylvester Rodrigues at 10.30 a.m. Mr. Rodrigues too is said to have exercised his franchise at Belthangady before the wedding. In Hubballi, newly wed couples Sainath Raju Pawar and Suman, and Praveen Raju Pawar and Vandana voted. After completing the marriage rituals, they came to Pendar Galli Government School and exercised their franchise.

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