With first phase of Gujarat polls coinciding with wedding season, couples decide to cast votes before taking their vows

In addition to being a very politically charged season in Gujarat ahead of the state Assembly election, this time of the year also signifies the 'wedding season', given the number of weddings that take place across the country during winter. It was inevitable, then, that several weddings were scheduled on Saturday, the day the 19 districts of Gujarat woke up to vote in the first phase of the Assembly polls.

Speaking to Firstpost, a young Mohammed Irfan from Sagrampura, dressed in his wedding gown, said, "I will go to cast my vote first, and then go to my wedding to say 'Qubool hai, qubool hai'."

Earlier on Saturday, a couple from Bharuch reached the polling booth together dressed in their wedding attire, to fulfill their constitutional duties before the wedding ceremony began.

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In Mandvi district too, 24-year-old groom Kunal Dagga showed up at the polling station early on Monday before the family left for the ceremony. "I am an Indian first. Voting is very important and it's our duty. Everyone should vote. I have another important duty to perform today, but this comes before today," India Today quoted Dagga as saying.

Interestingly, before the Election Commission announced the dates for the Gujarat polls, political parties including BJP and Congress had pushed for postponing the voting dates to any date after 14 December, as it coincides with the wedding season.

Click here for LIVE coverage of the first phase of voting on Saturday

Click here for detailed coverage of Gujarat Assembly Election 2017