Dull response to Hazratbal assembly by-poll

None had turned up at the polling station to cast the vote till 11:30 am. On the last phase of polling on Hazratbal assembly constituency,while the voters didn’t show up at Gandhi Nagar polling station on all other polling stations there were long queues.

Polling began on a dull note on Wednesday and was nearly 20 per cent this afternoon. However,people started coming out later and by the time polling was close from a total of 1010 voters on this constituency nearly 50 percent Kashmiri migrants had cast their vote.

“I voted for the resolution of the problems of Kashmir migrants and they are many. We have a huge problem of unemployment and the youth who migrated from Kashmir have now crossed the upper age limit. Also we are seeking the permanent rehabilitation of Kashmiri migrants,” said,a Kashmiri migrant,voter,T K Koul,of Bohri.

However,chairman of Panun Kashmir,a frontal organisation of Kashmiri pundits,Dr Ajay Chrungoo,differed,“How can migrants vote ? How do you expect people to vote in exile?” he asked.

At the Gandhi Nagar polling station the scene was different. “Last time also when I was on poll duty,voters didn’t show up. So I decided to make use of the free time and prepare for a seminar which is being held at Kargil,” said,the Micro Observer,K P Singh,a Scientist with Central Ground Water Board.

Working on his laptop,on the polling day,he was trying to find how water can be explored. “The seminar is very important and moreover no one is coming. What else can one do?”,he asked.

At the polling station,the political parties had not deployed any of their agents,so there was no point alleging rigging as the total votes on this polling station were only 28. Even the security personnel were not on duty outside the polling station which was on the second floor of the building of Gandhi Nagar College. Three of the policemen were however strolling,some blocks away from the polling station,and there was no bar on the access to the polling station.

On the three tables in the wide hall which formed the polling station sheaf of paper were strewn with used bottles of cold drinks filled with water and disposable cups also on the tables. “How many times would you read the newspaper and even how long would you gossip?” reasoned Singh.