Kashmiris brave the cold to come out and vote

Enthusiasm to take part in the democratic process by exercising their right to franchise transcended the age boundaries on Tuesday as old and young alike, the many-time voters and the first-time ones, came out to vote in the first phase of elections in Kashmir.

As the voting started to pick up, it became clear that power of democracy had prevailed over boycott call sponsored by the separatists with many first-time voters saying that they were "thrilled" to participate in the exercise.

Also Read: Massive turnout in J&K: 70 pc voting recorded

"This is the first time that I am voting and it feels good," Sumaiya, a 20-year-old voter in Saloora village of Ganderbal, said.

She said there was much enthusiasm in first-time voters like her. "I had heard about EVMs (Electronic Voting Machines) but I had not seen them. Today I saw them for the first time and I was thrilled after I cast my vote," she said.

Sumaiya said they had come out to vote for "a change" and get their area "rid" of the politicians who had been "exploiting" them.

"The people of Ganderbal have been exploited by the politicians so far. We have come out to vote for a change. We want Ganderbal to get rid of the politicians who have done nothing so far for the people," she said.

At a model polling station in Lar, from where the two main candidates of NC and PDP in the fray belong, saw an almost centenarian, helped by his grandson coming out to vote.

"I have always come out to vote. One should vote to address the day-to-day issues," Haji Mohammad Ahsan said.

Ahsan, who claimed to be 96-year-old, said there was no justification in boycotting the elections.

"Why should we boycott? There is no justification in that. We have to address our problems and a good candidate can. We want a good candidate to win and so I have voted for one," he said.

A large number of youth also voted, thereby paying no heed to the boycott call.

"If we want our issues to be addressed, we need a good representation in the assembly and for that we have to vote," a youth Tanveer Ahmad said.

Ahmad said boycott call had not achieved desirable results and the elections would have no bearing over the larger issue of Kashmir.

"We have seen how boycott has failed to achieve the desired results. And voting will have no bearing on the Kashmir issue. The elections are for addressing day-to-day issues," he said.

In a polling station at a higher altitude in Lar, women and young boys and girls were seen in queues.

The excitement to vote prevailed over all other feelings of fear and weather as young girls lined up to vote.

 "There is cold but it will not deter us. And there is no fear as the situation is much better now. People from our area came out to vote in large numbers and I too joined them," Shehzada Bano, a young female voter, said.

In Sehpora, where 1,001 votes had been polled out of the total of 1,653 in two polling stations, 90-year-old Ghulam Hassan limped towards the booth to vote for the candidate of his choice.

"I have always supported and voted for a particular party. I have been associated with the party for many years and nothing can keep me away from voting for it," he said.

The constituency witnessed brisk polling and change of mood -- from boycott to ballot -- can be gauged from the fact that the constituency witnessed no untoward incident which is unlike any of the past elections here.