New Delhi: A P J Abdul Kalam exercised his franchise as President for the first time when he voted in the Delhi Assembly election minutes before the polling ended this evening (Dec 1, 2003).

Rescheduling his visit to Punjab and Haryana only to make it in time to exercise his franchise, Kalam drove straight from airport to the polling station inside Rashtrapati Bhavan Estate.

"I have to vote. It is my right," said Kalam after emerging from the polling booth, responding to a query from reporters as to why he rescheduled his programme in Punjab and Haryana.

Kalam, who arrived at the polling station at 16:40 hours (IST), stood in the queue to cast his ballot, a treat for a battery of press photographers who had gathered to click him.

Later Kalam showed his inked finger to photographers.

President Kalam is possibly the first President who cast his ballot in the Delhi Assembly elections. President K R Narayanan did not vote in the 1998 polls.

PTI