A newly-married couple, not yet off their bridal wear, reached a polling booth of Udhampur parliamentary constituency here Thursday to cast their vote, underlining the importance of exercising one's franchise.
The couple reached the polling booth in a flower-decked sedan with groom Sourav Sharma sporting a headgear and a cream 'achkan' over red churidars with his bride Manisha, attired in a red 'salwar-kameez' and donning gold jewellery.
Accompanied by friends and family members, the couple stepped into the booth hand-in-hand, surprising many standing in the queue and exercised their franchise.
They instantly became a hit at the polling booth with dozens of people and visiting journalists clicking their pictures.
"It was my moral duty. So we made it a point to cast our votes before starting a new phase of life," Manisha told reporters here.
She said even though she just got married, she did not want to waste her vote.
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Groom Sourav too requested people to vote.
"I request all electorate in the country to vote. This is our mandatory duty as citizens of India," he said.
People waiting at the polling booth in serpentine queues appreciated the example set up by the newly-married couple.
Awaiting his turn to vote, Suram Singh said, "It is an example for the rest of the voters who prefer to enjoy a holiday instead of going to vote".
Udhampur Lok Sabha constituency having 16.85 lakh eligible electors recorded 26.28 till 11 am, said officials.
Prominent among the contestants include Union minister Jitendra Singh seeking re-election on a BJP ticket, Dogra dynasty scion Vikramaditya Singh fighting as a Congress candidate, Dogra Swabhiman Sangathan founder Choudhary Lal Singh and National Panthers party chairman Harsh Dev Singh.