With mercury touching 44 degrees celsius and long waiting queues, voters in the national Capital remained resolute to exercise adult franchise on Saturday amid complaints of less EVMs and no facilities in the prevailing weather conditions. First time voters and women participated in the largest festival of democracy enthusiastically, stating that this is once in a five year affair.

Over 2.52 lakh first-time voters cast their maiden votes in the elections, with many being awarded certificates at a lot of polling booths. Senior Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's daughter Miraya, a first-time voter, cast the ballot along with her brother Raihan and said the youth should come out and vote for a change. Accompanied by their parents, the two cast their votes at a booth on Lodhi Road in the New Delhi constituency.

Radhika Shukla, a first-time voter and a student of Miranda House, said, “We cannot ask the government for everything. In addition to other issues like development opportunities and women's safety, this generation's youth also wants environmental issues to be addressed.” She is the daughter of Special Commissioner of Police (crime) in Delhi Police Shalini Singh and IPS officer Anil Shukla.

Afreen, along with her three friends, came to vote at the Jafrabad’s Sarvodaya Bal Vidyalaya and said, “This doesn’t happen everyday. It's a once in a lifetime affair and I didn’t want to miss it because of the heat. It’s also my first time so I am a little excited.” Meanwhile, her friend expressed her concerns regarding her health amid the heat. She stated that she wasn’t feeling well and said, “There are cooler facilities but as far as I can see it is only for the officers. No special arrangements have been made for us.”

Priya, a college student of Zakir Hussain College, who casted her vote in the Burari area told that it was her first voting experience and the officers on election duty helped her in the voting process. A couple Kiran and Ravi had a 19 year old son, who didn’t come to vote because he went on a vacation owing to the weekend.

There were several first-time voters who made their choices after reading the manifestos of various parties and doing their research. Madhu Kumari, who exercised her franchise at the polling booth in Nirman Bhawan, said, “If you want a better country, each and every vote is very important. I am proud to be a first-time female voter. I read the manifestos of each of the parties and everything related to women's safety, education, and the police. For my future and the current needs, it is essential to cast one's vote.”