Free Uber rides, halwa and rice flour at ₹1 may sound like an advertisement to attract customers to a store, but are actually initiatives by the EC to encourage young electors to vote in the Assembly polls in the state on April 9, by turning the exercise into a celebration, rather than a tedious activity.

The extensive measures to attract young voters to polling booths also include possible discounts by coffee houses like Starbucks and Cafe Coffee Day, positive messages by food and grocery delivery services like Blinkit, Swiggy, Zomato and Domino’s as well as the use of AI-videos, reels, competitions and a ‘gen-z anthem’ that was recently launched by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

“Everybody wants to do something, so we will see how they come out with their innovative ways. If they come and do something, that is good. A positive message will come out and it might have an effect,” Kerala Chief Electoral Officer Rathan U Kelkar said in an interview to PTI.

– PTI