Avtar Bhat
KATHUA, Dec 20: Braving the chilly weather conditions and biting cold, the enthusiastic youth mostly first time voters today exercised their right to franchise in large numbers for change of guard and development of the State.
Though women outnumbered men during the voting at various polling stations in Kathua district which went to polls in the fifth phase today, the participation of youth was also no less.
Lot of enthusiasm was seen in both women and youth waiting in long queues in front of various polling stations in the Assembly segments of Kathua, Hiranagar and Billawar during polling.
Though polling started at a low key in the morning due to biting cold and chilly weather but it picked up as the day proceeded and soon the big queues of voters were seen in front of polling stations especially in the rural belt of Kathua.
In Kathua district people say that this was highest number of turnover in last many years and they have not seen such a rush earlier during the polling day. The women as well as youth who were interviewed by Excelsior team said that they voted for change and development.
The political parties promise sky during the elections but they hardly fulfill their promises after poll, said Ramnik Jasrotia of Hiranagar who had cast his vote for the first time today.
Ramnik, an ITI student said that he has been listening from his school days the promises of the political parties but after taking over the reigns the politicians forget the same. The youth wanted to make all the political parties to realize that they are the servants of people as real power vests in the hands of electorate and they can’t befool them, he added.
Maintaining that they will vote for a change and installation of such a Government which can ensures security to women, curb the crimes against them and fulfill the aspirations of youth by generating employment avenues, the female first time voters at various polling booths were of the opinion that women have a great power and no political party can ignore them.
Prithvi Rani Sudan an engineering student who was waiting in a queue to cast her vote in front of Polling Booth 59 at Government Girls High School Koota in Hiranagar Assembly Segment said she will definitely vote for change.
The political party which can ensure better deal to fair sex will be her priority to vote, she added.
There was equal number of men and women in two queues in front of polling stations with a good number of first time voters also.
At polling Station 62,Gurah Mundian in Hiranagar Assembly Segment 342 votes were polled by 12.30 pm out of 909 votes. The men and women were waiting in two long queues to cast their vote in front of this polling booth. However the queue of women was longer.
At adjoining polling Station 61 of Gurah Mundian A in the same Assembly Segment where 315 votes were polled out of 941 total votes by 12.35 pm, the queue of women was also longer. Rachna Sharma, Shalu Salgotra and Komal Salgotra who were among dozen of first time voters at this polling booth said they have come to exercise their democratic right to elect a candidate of their choice to strengthen democracy both in the State as well as in the country.
A handicapped person Ram Lal who is bed ridden for last 15 years had also come to cast his vote at this polling booth. He was brought by his relatives on a cart from his house Gurah Mundian which is one km away from the polling booth to cast his vote.
Lal said he has voted in every election since he attained the age of voting.
Babu Ram an octogenarian had also reached the polling station braving the winter cold to cast his vote. An associate of former Finance Minister and a veteran Congress leader G L Dogra, Babu Ram said he has taken part in every election since 1952.
Hemanshi, a BE student and a first time voter who was coming out of her Polling Station Number 67 Arjun Chak in Government Degree College Hiranagar said she voted against those who were responsible for total discrimination and under development of their area with the hope that the new dispensation which will be voted to power will look into these problems.
Manu Devi, an 90 year old women of Tuta Chak who was carried by her daughter in -law and son to polling booth No 66 at the same place to cast her vote said that she had hardly missed any election in which she did not exercise her democratic right.
At this polling Station 556 votes were polled out of 1115 at 1.20 pm. However the majority of voters at this polling booth protested against the authorities that they have not provided facilities for the voters despite declaring it a Super Model Polling Station.
At polling station Dhalli A Billawar, highest turnout was reported in first five hours voting. At this polling booth 503 votes were polled out of 753 at 1.30 pm.
At another polling booth 488 votes were polled by the same time and a long queue of women was seen than men at this Polling Booth.
At polling station 119 Sallan in Billawar Assembly Segment 510 votes were polled by 2pm out of 749 and a long queue was still seen out side the polling booth while at polling station 118 Sallan 512 votes were polled by 2pm out of 801.
A 95 year old woman Bhagwati of Sallan was brought in a vehicle by some of her relatives to cast her vote. Not in a position even to speak, she was taken to the polling booth number 119 by her relatives and assisted in casting her vote.
At polling station 131 Tandyari Billawar, 393 votes were polled out of 580 up to 2.30 pm.
However total festivity was seen in front of two polling stations at Janglote A and B which were housed in Government Higher Secondary School Janglote. Hundreds of people including men, women and children were seen outside the School premises in Janglote which is the home village of Kathua MLA Charanjit Singh. The rush of voters was also inside the school premises and over 300 women were seen in front of polling booth Janglote at 3pm while a large number of men were also waiting in queue.
Same was the position at Janglore B polling booth also.
At Janglote A 768 votes were polled by 3.15 pm out of 1080 while at Janglote B 714 votes were polled out of 1086. The interesting thing at this polling booth was that women outnumbered men in casting vote as 369 women had voted at this polling booth while the number of men was 345 upto 3.15pm.
The authorities at the polling booth said that they will allow every voter to cast his vote who has been given slips.
In Kathua town though no queues were seen in front of polling booths but people were coming one by one to cast their vote at various polling stations in the town. At PS number 80 Kathua 330 votes were polled by 3.40 pm out of 492 while at PS 80 A Kathua 519 votes were poled out of 734 by the same time.
At polling station Number 84, in Kathua 624 votes were polled out of 905 by 3.45 pm while at PS 85 at Kathua 576 votes were polled out of 769 by the same time. At polling station Number 85 A Kathua 335 votes were polled out of 450 and the number of both men and women who had cast their vote was equal at this polling booth.
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