Restaurants, private companies, and mobility aggregator apps in Bengaluru are offering free beer, discounts on burgers, and free bike rides to polling stations to encourage people to cast their votes in the Lok Sabha elections 2024.
Karnataka's Bengaluru has often been in the news for its low voter turnout. The city will vote on Friday, April 26, in 14 constituencies. Over one crore people are eligible to cast a vote in Bengaluru.
To get discounts and free beer as promised, voters have to show their inked fingers to avail themselves of the benefits. Nisarga Grand Hotel on Nrupatunga Road is offering free butter dosa, ghee rice, and a beverage to voters on voting day.
Another restaurant in Bellandur, Deck of Brews, is offering a free mug of beer and discounts to voters who visit on April 27 and 28.
Another pub chain, SOCIAL, has introduced a special initiative across its outlets by issuing special bills with a message encouraging people to vote. Guests who bring back these bills after voting and show their inked fingers will receive a 20% discount on their meal.
Taxi aggregator Rapido has announced free auto and cab rides for differently abled and senior citizen voters in Bengaluru.
“We are undertaking this initiative to ensure that every voter in Bengaluru, Mysuru, and Mangaluru can successfully fulfil their duty by casting their vote... We want to specifically ensure that differently-abled and senior citizen voters have equitable access to exercise their democratic right,” said Pavan Guntupalli, Rapido’s Co-founder, reported by the Times of India.