First-time voters want job security, women's safety

New Delhi: Employment opportunities, women's security, better economic policies, communal harmony are among the top issues which brought youths, mostly first-time voters, to the polling stations to get their fingers inked for the Lok Sabha elections in the national capital. "Safety for women, price hike are the issues. But the key issues for us is creation of jobs," 20-year-old Anjali said after casting vote.

First-time voter, Saurav Janana (18) proudly flashed his voter ID card with a smile as he was very excited on exercising his franchise. "Delhi students should get some kind of reservation in Delhi University. I want the next government to work on it," Saurav said. Hoping for the situation to change in the country, 22-year-old Akanksha Basoi said women-centric issues are of grave concern, be it women safety or women empowerment. "It's really the time for change and the focus should be on women," she said. First-timers want to judiciously use their vote, with a strong belief that change will come only through them.

"I feel like a responsible citizen after voting. We always blame the administration for lack of drinking water facility, sanitation, rising crimes but then we have to participate in the electoral process if we want to bring about a change," said 23-year-old Mohammad Javed, a resident of Gole Market area. 18-year-old Sheena Dhankhar asserted that women are not safe in Delhi and she wants the capital to be such that women can roam around freely anytime. "After women issues, the government should work on eradication of corruption," she said.

Bansal siblings, Sandhya (24) and Nidhi (22) from a posh South Delhi locality expressed concerns for the economic situation in the country. "We expect the next government to have better financial policies. In the recent time, the economy has slowed down," they said. "Women safety is of utmost importance but I'm not sure if any party could make Delhi safe," said a skeptical 23-year-old, Surabhi Ranjan.