Srinagar- Despite witnessing brisk polling in the recent election, over 40 percent of voters in Jammu and Kashmir have abstained from voting due to disillusionment with the unfulfilled promises of politicians.
Many people who participated in previous elections chose to stay away this time, saying the elected candidates failed to deliver on their promises.
Reports quoting disgruntled voters said the politicians after winning prioritise their personal interests and those of their families over the needs of the public.
Ghulam Hassan, a resident of Zainapora in Shopian, said he has voted six or seven times in his life. “Although the candidates I voted for often won, they always failed to keep their promises. This repeated disappointment has led me to lose interest in the electoral process,” he said.
Mukhtar Ahmad, a PhD scholar from Bijbehara, also expressed his disenchantment. He recounted, “I previously voted with the hope of securing employment opportunities, but found myself working at a petrol pump while the relatives of politicians, despite lacking qualifications, secured government jobs.”
Ahmad said that politicians assured them of employment before elections but never followed through once in power. This has led to my disinterest in the voting process, he said.
Gulzar Ahmad, another scholar from Pulwama, now working as a chef, echoed similar sentiments. “The false promises of politicians have led me and many other youths to become disengaged from the electoral process. The general public’s needs are often ignored by those in power,” he said.
It is noteworthy that around 58 percent of voter turnout was recorded in the 2014 Parliament elections in J&K, while about 42 percent of voters still chose to abstain from the polling process—KNO
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