Residents of Shopian’s Zainapora assembly segments vote for change, better living conditions

Shopian, May 25: South Kashmir’s Zainapora Assembly segment on Saturday went to polls as part of the Anantnag - Rajouri Lok Sabha seat.

The electorate made a beeline for polling stations since morning to cast their votes. According to an official, the assembly segment recorded a voter turnout of 41.07 percent.

Standing in a serpentine queue in Chitragam village, Mubashir Ahmad said that he voted for a change and to protect the democracy and democratic rights of the people.

“This is the first time that I voted for a different cause. For me it is the question of safeguarding democracy and our democratic rights”, he said.

Before the remapping of the poll constituencies, Shopian district, comprising two assembly segments—Shopian and Wachi (now Zainpora) was part of the Anantnag Lok Sabha seat.

However, following the redrawing of boundaries, Shopian assembly segment was merged with Srinagar parliamentary constituency.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the district witnessed around three percent polls with many villages falling under the Zainapora assembly segment witnessing almost no polling.

However, the villages like Heff, which usually chose to steer clear of polling stations saw a comparatively high voter turnout on Saturday during the sixth phase of polling, the penultimate leg of 2024 general elections.

By 2 pm, around 232 people exercised their franchise. Before 2019, the village was an epicenter of militancy with around 10 to 20 youth joined militancy and were killed in different fire-fights with the security forces.

Mohammad Ahsan Dar , a senior citizen from the village, said that the area was lacking many crucial facilities including a health center.

“I think if we send a good representative to the parliament, he could resolve all such issues,” Dar said.

Another resident from the area said that they could not get anything by staying away from the polling station over the last years.

“Now, we hope that casting votes could lead to tangible improvements in our living conditions,” he said.