Bandipora: The enthusiasm was at its peak among voters of Chitteybandy, Ajas and Hajin DDC constituencies, which went to polls Saturday in the eight phase of the District Development Council elections.
Braving the morning chill, residents from villages of Chitteybandy, Gojerpati Aragam, Ajas and other areas of Hajin A and B DDC constituencies lined up early outside the polling stations to cast their votes for redressal of their long pending issues regarding development of their mohallas as well as various tourism destinations so that local youth may get employment opportunities.
Arif Bajad, a 36-year-old youth while casting his vote at polling station Chitteybandy, said, “our roads are still in dilapidated condition.”
A 19-year-old voter Muskan Khan lined up outside polling station Aragam said that she and others from her village are voting for their future.
“We are facing a series of problems here including electricity, water supply and health care facility. We have cast votes in the hope that our elected representatives will try to solve these problems,” Muskaan added.
Reshma, another female voter at polling station Chitteybandy said that there are no better health facilities in upper areas of Chitteybandy and even for minor cases, doctors refer patients to District Hospital Bandipora.
“I expect this scenario will change after DDC elections and winning candidate will definitely do something in this regard,” she added.
“Vote is great power and it is my constitutional obligation that I should cast this vote especially when the DDC elections are being held for the first time in the J&K,” said Akaash, a youth who had come from Srinagar to Ajas to cast his vote at polling station Ajas.
“This election and my vote will play a great role in strengthening democracy at grass root level,” he said and hoped that the elected DDC candidate will focus on employment, industrialization and tourism development in Bandipora, which has more potential for the same.
While young voters expressed that they are going to vote seeking better employment opportunities, elders voted for better roads, health facilities and power and water facilities.
Ameer ud din, a 75-year-old man while on way to polling station located at Government Middle School Chaliwan Chitteybandy said, “I never missed my right of voting which our constitution gives us but our elected representatives seldom keep their election promises.”
He said earlier also we used to vote for same issues like good roads, employment, better education, better health facilities and this time also we are voting for the same as these issues were never solved in the past.
The elderly man said he has no hope that these issues will be solved in future too but still he has come to vote to fulfill his constitutional obligation.
“I never voted in any elections but this time I have come especially to vote as first ever DDC elections has raised a hope in me that all our issues will be taken and solved on priority,” said Ameer ud din.
Shabir Ahmad after casting his vote at polling station Government Middle School Chaliwan, said that he does not expect much from elected DDC candidates except good roads, regular water and power supply, better educational and health facilities as not only his but also neighbouring villages lack all these facilities.
Amid tight security, long queues of enthusiastic voters were seen in twin blocks of Bandipora where 62.47 per cent polling was recorded in Hajin A, as Hajin-B registered 50.24 per cent while the total percentage was recorded 56.55 in the district.
It is pretent to mention here that in the 8th Phase of DDC elections across J&K, the two blocks in North Kashmir’s Bandipora district on saturday witnessed the polling of total 56.55 percent.
