They are beginning their training as minors with the aim of playing a major role in time when electing their representatives. On Thursday, hostel residents of Laxman Public School in Hauz Khas came to observe polling at a booth set up in the school.

Principal Usha Ram said the students had visited the booth on the poll eve, too, and also interacted with polling officers and policemen stationed there.

In the run-up to D-day, students of Class XI and XII of Mahavir Model School in Nanak Pyau last week conducted a mock election for the Prime Minister’s post, with students ‘enacting’ Manmohan Singh, Mayawati, L K Advani, Lalu Prasad and Sharad Pawar to be the contenders. The winner? The Manmohan Singh-led Congress.

School principal S L Jain said, “We also asked students to encourage their parents to go and vote. On Friday, we will hold a discussion in class regarding their observations of today’s polling,” Jain said.

Meanwhile, a large number of children were seen accompanying parents to polling booths in different parts of the Capital on Thursday. Many children said they had heard about Electronic Voting Machines and were curious to take a peek.

An eight-year-old, Rahul, came out of a Rohini polling booth bawling. Reason: he wanted to press the button of the EVM, when his father, one Ramesh Kumar, dragged him out of the booth. “He is disappointed,” Kumar explained. “He wanted to see how the EVM functions.”

At Rohini’s Government Sarvodaya Vidyalaya Sector-9, three siblings walked in hand-in-hand for a dekko — with their mother leading them in. The eldest, Shruti Semwal, 11, said, “When I grow up I will also cast my vote like my mother.” Younger brothers Shrey (7) and Ayush (10) were amazed to see so many people and policemen around.

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