Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Apr 18: Kathua-Udhampur- Doda Parliamentary constituency, which went to polls today in second phase of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, witnessed several odd voters exercising their right to franchise and thus adding colour to the grand festival of democracy.
Brides and grooms in the midst of their marriage ceremony, patients admitted in hospital, physically challenged persons and the elderly people were among these odd voters, who reached their respective Polling Stations and cast votes inviting attention of everyone besides giving a sound message on necessity of exercising this democratic right by every eligible citizen.
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A just married couple, still in wedding attire, reached at Polling Station number 68 inside the office complex of Deputy Commissioner Udhampur to cast vote. The couple reached the polling booth in a flower-decked Sedan with groom Sourav Sharma sporting a headgear and a cream ‘Achkan’ over red ‘Churidars’ with his bride Manisha, attired in a red ‘Salwar-Kameez’ and donning gold jewellery. Accompanied by friends and family members, the couple stepped into the booth hand-in-hand, surprising many standing in the queue and exercised their franchise.
“It was my moral duty. So we made it a point to cast our votes before starting a new phase of life,” said Manisha. She said even though she just got married, she did not want to waste her vote. Groom Sourav too requested people to vote. People waiting at the polling booth in serpentine queues appreciated the example set up by the newly married couple. In another case, would be bride Shiwali Sharma, daughter of Ramesh Chander of Aadhar Wallian, Reasi, whose marriage was being solemnized tonight, reached the Polling Station at School Aadhar Wallian to exercise the franchise immediately after ‘Saant’ rituals at home this morning. “Voting is our right and one must not miss the same on one or other pretext,” she said while displaying ink mark on her finger.
Another bride cast her vote at Polling Station number 35 in Inderwal, Kishtwar. Attired in traditional bridal dress, Sunita Devi, daughter of Manak Chand and married to Sanjay Kumar of Chingam, Inderwal, arrived at the Polling Station with family members and exercised her franchise.
A would be bridegroom, Kamal Singh, son of Late Shanker Singh of Marhi, Reasi, who is tying his nuptial knot today, reached the Polling Station at Marhi High School to cast vote while his family members were waiting at home for ‘Shagun’ and ‘Saant’ ceremony.
The enthusiasm for participation in the festival of democracy by exercising franchise was not confined to young generation but elderly and even patients and physically challenged who were also too excited to stop themselves from reaching their respective Polling Stations notwithstanding the health constraints.
80-year old Jogindro Devi, a patient admitted at District Hospital Kathua, cast her vote by reaching at the Polling Station in Ward Number 2, Kathua, with the help of a wheelchair, being moved by her family members. 105-year old Trilok Singh, who cast his vote at the Polling Station number 62, inside Government Primary School Thaley, was apparently the eldest person exercising franchise in this constituency.
Physically challenged Parvina Akhter, who cast her vote by reaching at Polling Station number 58, BDO Office Chenani with the help of a wheelchair, was handed over an appreciation letter by the Election authorities. To facilitate the physically challenged voters, wheelchairs were arranged at all the Polling Stations.
In remote area Latti, a model polling station was established at the Higher Secondary School for the first time where facilities like LED screen, chairs and drinking water were arranged for the people coming to vote. Here, local Sarpanch and former educationist Kasturi Lal Gupta was the first person to cast his vote and he was presented a memento for the same by SDM Pardeep Singh and Tehsildar Roshan Lal.
Even as the Election authorities were encouraging the people for exercising their franchise, some voters had to face disappointment due to alleged hostile attitude of some officers on the election duty. At Polling Station numbers 76, 77 and 78 in the Reasi town, some eligible voters were not allowed to cast their votes on the pretext of their failure to produce original identity proof.
One Diksha, daughter of Sanjay Dogra, told the Excelsior that Sector Officer on duty, who is kin of a National Conference MLC, did not entertain her electronic ID proof, which she had produced in her mobile phone. Similarly Meena Kumari, wife of Ravinder Singh and Sapna Devi, wife of Rasal Singh of Kambhal Danga in Reasi, were also not allowed to cast votes for their failure to produce original ID proof. “We reached here after travelling more than two kilometers and remained in the queue for an hour before the officer told us that original ID proof is must for voting. If it was so the BLO, who delivered the photo voter slip at home must have told us at that time,” they said while going back home and stating that it was not possible for them to come again for exercising franchise.
On the other hand, some locals alleged that there was no check on identification of the Burqa clad women casting votes at the same Polling Station.
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