Free beer and taxi rides to win voters in Indian city

India’s general election, the largest-ever election, has begun and will take around 44 days until the polls close.

To get people voting in the southern Indian city of Bengaluru, companies in the city are offering a range of incentives – from free food to taxi rides. 

Bengaluru, in the Karnataka state, often has a low voter turnout during elections.

So hotels, taxi services and other firms have announced initiatives to encourage people to cast their ballots. Other freebies on offer include beer and free health care 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 the second phase of the seven-day 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 2019 general election, the city’s Bangalore South constituency 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 of 68%.