86-year-old citizen in Bengaluru votes for 20th time; prefers visiting booth over doorstep voting
Bengaluru: Shivaramakrishna Shastri, an 86-year-old resident of CV Raman Nagar in the city, exercised his right to franchise for the 20th time in his life, visiting the polling booth at the DRDO Central University on Friday.
While he had the option of applying for doorstep voting, as provided by the Election Commission of India to voters aged 85 years and above as well as People with Disabilities (PwD), Shastri preferred to go up to the polling booth to cast vote. He came to the booth accompanied by his son and daughter-in-law on the occasion and was taken in a wheel chair by the policemen at the booth to cast his vote.
Many other voters found Shastri's spirit and resolution to not miss voting an inspirational gesture for all youngsters and new voters in the city to imbibe.
Shastri explaining why he preferred to visit the polling booth although he needed help, saying, "Voting is a citizen's right. Casting vote at home, by opting for doorstep voting, will not highlight the importance of the ballot. I always prefer coming to a polling booth and voting, for this joy of a special experience. I also take into consideration the fact that coming to a booth gives me an opportunity to meet other people. This is not possible if I vote from home."
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Thumbay Group begins work on Sharjah’s first private integrated psychiatric, rehabilitation hospital
Sharjah: Thumbay Group has laid the foundation stone for the Thumbay Psychiatric and Rehabilitation Hospital at Sharjah Healthcare City, a 120-bed facility that the company says will be the region’s first private, fully integrated hospital dedicated to psychiatric care, neuro-rehabilitation and addiction recovery.
The groundbreaking ceremony was led by Dr. Abdelaziz Saeed Al Mheiri, who is also a member of the Sharjah Executive Council, in the presence of Dr. Thumbay Moideen.
Spread across 110,000 square feet, the hospital is being developed to address growing demand for specialised mental health and rehabilitation services in the UAE and the wider Gulf region.
The facility will include inpatient and outpatient services in psychiatry, neuro-rehabilitation, addiction treatment, child and adolescent mental health, and care for mood and anxiety disorders. It will also feature VIP inpatient villas designed to provide privacy and support long-term recovery.
A mosque, named the Thumbay Masjid, will be constructed within the campus and will be open to the public.
The hospital is being designed to meet standards for Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), an internationally recognised accreditation system for rehabilitation facilities.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Abdelaziz Saeed Al Mheiri said the project reflects Sharjah’s commitment to strengthening healthcare infrastructure in all aspects of wellbeing.
“Mental health and rehabilitation have long needed dedicated infrastructure, and we are proud to support a private partner whose vision matches the ambition of this Emirate,” he said.
Dr. Thumbay Moideen said the project was a response to a growing need for specialised mental healthcare services in the region.
“We have spent over three decades building healthcare in this region, and the one conversation that has grown louder every year is mental health. Families have been carrying this quietly for too long. This hospital is our answer. It is purpose-built, not retrofitted, and it has been designed around dignity, recovery, and outcomes that families can trust,” he said.
Construction is scheduled to begin in June 2026, and the hospital is expected to become operational by mid-2027.
Once completed, the facility will become part of Thumbay Group’s network of healthcare, education and diagnostic institutions across the UAE.
