Bengaluru: Free beer and taxi rides to woo voters in Indian city

Located in Karnataka state, Bengaluru is often in the news for its low voter turnout.

So hotels, taxi services and other firms have announced initiatives to encourage people to cast their ballot.

These include free beer, discounted cab rides and even free health check-ups.

At some food outlets, customers need to show their finger stained with indelible ink as proof they've voted.

The city is voting on Friday in round two of India's seven-phase election.

On Wednesday, the state's high court allowed an association of hotels to give food for free or at discounted prices as long as it did not violate election guidelines.

"Different hotels and restaurants will be providing different things to the voters based on their personal call," PC Rao, president of the hotel association, told the Bangalore Mirror newspaper.

"While some of these places will provide free coffee, dosas [a pancake made from rice batter and lentils] and fruit juice to overcome the heat, some of the outlets will give discounts on food or have some offers," he added.

In the last general election in 2019, the city's Bangalore South constituency had recorded the lowest voting percentage in Karnataka state at 53.7%.

Turnout was also low in Bangalore Central (54.3%) and Bangalore North (54.7%) compared with the state's total turnout at 68%.

Most companies began to encourage residents to vote last week last but announced offers after the court order on Wednesday.

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