First-time voters make their mark in south Kashmir

Pulwama/ Shopian, May 13

“I have been waiting for this moment for a long time,” said Asima, a first-time voter from south Kashmir’s Pulwama district. The feeling of happiness was etched on Asima’s face when she emerged from a polling booth after casting her first vote for the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat, which went to polls on Monday. The entire Pulwama district and one assembly segment of the neighbouring Shopian district were clubbed with the Srinagar parliamentary seat following the remapping of poll constituencies by the Delimitation Commission in 2022.

The enthusiasm among first-time voters was palpable in both Pulwama and Shopian districts with many youth making a beeline for the polling stations.

“We should not waste our democratic right. Let us vote and see what the government can do for us,” said Asima.

Another first-time voter Faizan Ahmad, 20, from Malikora village of the district said that he was casting his vote for the first time and he wanted to elect a representative who could speak up for the youth.

“The youth need a representative who can voice their concerns in the parliament,” he said.

Faizan said that he felt happy after casting his first vote.

“Through the ballot, we can express our opinion in a rather decisive manner,” he said expressing satisfaction over the poll arrangements. A group of first-time voters in the neighbouring Shopian district also expressed their pleasure after exercising their franchise.

Adil Ahmad, who cast his first vote in Narpora village, some 6 km from Shopian town, said that voting was his democratic right and wasting it would be akin to sinning.

“I am voting for the change,” Ahmad said.

He said that the ballooning youth unemployment, higher education costs, and inadequate health infrastructure in his area were some of the pressing issues which motivated him to vote. “I am hopeful our votes can resolve these issues,” Adil said.