As many as 100 young voters voted in hopes of development, jobs and better infrastructure

Sharing his excitement, Yakubu, an unemployed youth voter from Doda East constituency, said: “Look at the enthusiasm in the crowd. This kind of turnout is not seen even at weddings. People come to elect a leader they can speak their heart to, someone who will work hard to improve roads and health infrastructure and create jobs.”

Highlighting the importance of the elections, Owais Nizam, another young voter, said, “We have been waiting for a democratic government in Jammu and Kashmir for nearly 10 years. People are tired of dealing with bureaucrats who ignore their problems. The excitement among voters stems from the hope that we will soon have a leader who will address unemployment, poor roads and other issues. In the past two decades, Doda has not developed as much as it should have.”

96-year-old Pandit Shanti Prakash from Ghata village in Bhadwa expressed his joy at participating in the elections, noting that it provided an opportunity to finally elect a people’s government. “I am happy that the elections are taking place but I hope that it will soon lead to restoration of statehood,” he remarked. Despite his advanced age, Prakash chose to vote in person rather than opting to vote from home, expressing his desire for an elected government and restoration of statehood. “One hope is being fulfilled today and I am sure the other will be fulfilled soon,” he added.

Atif Iqbal, 32, came out of polling station number 70 and cast his ballot in a defiant mood. “I am voting against the injustices done to Jammu and Kashmir over the past decade, especially against restoration of statehood and Article 370,” he said. “Article 370, which was part of our identity and was taken away by the central government in 2019, remains a key issue for voters like me.” He also highlighted the lack of development in Doda, pointing out that the region still has no railway network and lacks access to basic amenities even 70 years after independence. “We are here to elect a leader who will listen to our concerns and work to bring the region up to speed in terms of development,” he added.

Khalid Bashir Mughal, 52, a former headman of Chinode village, said the high turnout reflected people’s desire to form their own government. “Centralisation of power has left a political vacuum and alienated people from the government. People have high expectations of the new government and we hope it will address public concerns and work towards creating a peaceful atmosphere,” he said.
Vidya Ram Parihar, a middle-aged man, highlighted the acute unemployment crisis in the region. “Highly educated youth are forced to work for meagre wages. Today, young voters are turning out in overwhelming numbers and they all want their elected leaders to make a real effort to create jobs and ensure that labour laws, including the minimum wage law, are enforced in both the private and government sectors,” he said.