Voters' enthusiasm marks first phase of polling in Jammu

Jammu: Early morning breeze, coupled with a relaxing dip in the day temperatures, set the tone for the first phase of voting in the Jammu Lok Sabha seat as people thronged polling stations Thursday to exercise their franchise.

The Jammu parliamentary constituency, along with the Baramulla seat of north Kashmir, went to polls in the first phase Thursday. Udhampur and Srinagar will go to polls on April 18, the Anantnag seat in south Kashmir will witness three-phased elections on April 23, 29 and May 6, while polling in the Ladakh parliamentary constituency is scheduled on May 6. Counting will be done on May 23. As the voting started at 7 am this morning, long queues of voters, who were eager to cast their votes, were witnessed across the Jammu seat spread over Jammu, Samba, Rajouri and Poonch districts and covering 20 assembly constituencies.

In several places, excitement among youth, particularly the first-time voters at Mawakarora and Dhanger polling stations on the outskirts of Jammu was visible. Women outnumbered men to exercise their franchise at some places. Age or physical health could not deter people from voting.

Baba Gyan Singh, 102, cast his vote at Mawakarora polling station in Akhnoor and so did 85-year-old Bansi Lal in the Khour constituency. Saraswati Devi (95) and Dhanno Devi (100) cast their votes at government Higher Secondary School, Palanwala-Chamb, election officials said. In many rural areas, several voters had come to polling booths in their traditional attires. The voters expressed satisfaction for the facilities made available at the polling booths for smooth conduct of polls.