Srinagar: Asserting that the BJP-led centre is ‘legally bound’ to abide by the Supreme Court of India’s ruling on J&Ks statehood, the overenthusiastic voters in north Kashmir Tuesday claimed to have cast their ballot in favor of employment, quality education and better infrastructure.
The third and final phase of the elections to the J&K legislative assembly culminated today, with voters overenthusiastically exercised their franchise across 40 assembly seats including 24 in Jammu and 16 in Kashmir.
Citing the India’s top judiciary ruling on J&K’s statehood last year, the jubilant voters in north Kashmir, who were excited to vote in local elections for the first time in ten years since 2014, claimed that no political party, not even the BJP could claim credit for the restoration of statehood to J&K, as the centre is legally bound to abide by SC ruling.
“Statehood is our right, and a year ago, the Supreme Court had pronounced its verdict in this regard. So far as Article 370 is concerned, let the regional parties play their part. We voted for employment opportunities for our youth, quality education for our children and of course better infrastructure and connectivity, all of which the three northern border districts of Kashmir are sorely lacking in,” a voter told Kashmir Observer after casting his ballot at a polling booth at Kreeri, Wagoora segment in Baramulla.
Expressing confidence that only local representatives would be able to accomplish the wishes and aspirations of the people of the frontier district, he said, when the centre following the apex court directions could hold assembly elections in J&K after a decade-long pause, they could restore its statehood as well.
“People of Kashmir are no longer dummies who are easily swayed by the emotional speeches of political leaders. They have been claiming that they could restore J&Ks statehood if they are voted to power, despite the fact that the Supreme Court has already made a ruling on this matter,” he added.
A sixty-year-old voter in the 14-Sonawari assembly segment of the Bandipora district said that she voted for the candidate who had pledged to give priority to addressing burning issues the people of Sonawari confront.
“Massive turnout in Sonwari and Sumbal was the outcome of the promises the contesting candidates made with residents. We hope that the issue—such as rising unemployment, inflation, reduced rationing and poor road connectivity—would be given priority, and that they would not think twice about showing him the door in case he fails to deliver,” she told Kashmir Observer.
Although Bandipora is at par with all other districts in terms of education and skill set, she claimed, the area’s most affected by unemployment in the district are Sonwari and Sumbal.
“Since elections were held ultimately in union territory after ten years, our local representatives, we hope, would live up to our expectations this time around, since the prolonged postponement of local elections was nothing less than a nightmare for the people of Jammu and Kashmir including those from north,” another voter at Trehgam, Kupwara said.
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