Mohinder Verma
REASI, Apr 17: The centenarians and physically disabled electorates of the Reasi district today sent a loud and clear message to the voters across the country that come what may voting zeal should remain intact till the last breath. They are of the opinion that election is an important event to teach a lesson to those politicians, who do not come up to the expectations of the masses, and to choose the new ones to lead the country.
For these centenarians and physically disabled voters, the day of election is one of the celebrations as this day comes after five years that too with an opportunity to decide the future of the country. They have sent a message to the electorates across the country not to allow anything coming in the way of exercising their democratic right.
“If we can overcome our old age problems to reach the polling stations and cast our votes, there should not be any difficulty for the normal electorates in other parts of the country to come forward and decide the future of this great nation by electing a stable Government and sending intelligent Parliamentarians to the Lok Sabha”, 117 year old Matwal Singh said while interacting with some fellow voters at a Polling Station in Pouni area.
A total of 114 Centenarians of the Reasi district set up a record by exercising their franchise at respecting polling stations with assistance from District Red Cross Society. Majority of these 114 persons having age more than 100 years, reached polling stations in the earlier hours of voting thereby exhibiting enthusiasm among them over electing new Government.
Bawa Amratanand (126 years) of Jheri, Jama (120), Matwal Singh (117) of Pouni, Roshan Bibi (116), Ghulam Mohd (119), Jamal Din (118), Nakul Bibi (108), Hassan Jan (102), Reshma (106), Ghulam Hussain (111), Nehal Singh (107) and Kala Khan (113) were among the earliest reporting voters.
Official reports available with EXCELSIOR said that there are 64 Centenarians in Gulabgarh, 32 in Gool-Arnas and 21 in Reasi Assembly constituencies of Reasi district and only 13 of them could not exercise their democratic right because of different unavoidable reasons.
Not only enthusiasm among these Centenarians even the assistance provided by the Reasi district administration on the directions of District Election Officer, Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary played key role in casting of votes by these voters of 100 years and above age. The district administration, which left no stone unturned to ensure massive turnout, paid special attention towards these electorates as without assistance from the administration they might have not been able to cast their votes.
The administration had deployed 13 buses to ferry Centenarians and physically disabled persons from their native places to the polling stations. According to the official information, District Red Cross Society spent Rs 2.5 lakh to ensure participation of 114 Centenarians and 1389 differently abled persons in the elections. For the convenience of the differently abled persons, 40 tricycles were also made available in different polling stations.
The enthusiasm exhibited by physically disabled persons in reaching the polling stations and casting votes is also a message to the voters across the country. These persons have conveyed that their disabilities could not prevent them from exercising their democratic right.
Earlier, the district administration had identified 114 polling stations where 1048 enrolled persons were identified as special voters. However, after the announcement of “Rehbar” Scheme by District Red Cross Society under Systematic Voters Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP), Booth Level Officers were appointed as Nodal Officers for special voters and due to this initiative, additional 458 physically disabled voters got themselves enrolled in the voter lists.
Meanwhile, six Panchayats of Mahore block in Gulabgarh constituency, which announced unanimous boycott of polling last week and even on poll day, reported huge turnover after intervention of District Election Officer and Assistant Commissioner Development.
These Panchayats had announced a boycott against the failure of State Government to ensure development in these areas during last five years. Even today nobody turned up till 8 am due to boycott call but the administration succeeded in persuading the voters to come forward and exercise their democratic right.
Accordingly, polling started after 8 am and these Panchayats registered turn out much higher than 2009 Lok Sabha polls. Dewal recorded 69% polling, Dewal-II 76%, Neoch-II 51%, Bhadder 86% and Arbais 83%.
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