A groom wearing a sherwani and bright headgear was among the first voters to cast their ballots at a polling place in Udhampur, Jammu and Kashmir, as the first phase of the Lok Sabha election got underway today, accompanied by his friends dressed in traditional attire.
Inclement weather greeted voters in the Udhampur Lok Sabha constituency, which encompasses the five districts of Udhampur, Kathua, Ramban, Doda, and Kishtwar, at 7 a.m.
Soon after returning home on Friday morning, Kapil Gupta, who was married on Thursday, cast his ballot at a polling place that was set up on the grounds of the Jammu and Kashmir Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes & Backward Classes Development Corporation Limited in Udhampur town.
“Voting is our right and must be done on priority,” he said, requesting voters to vote in large numbers.
Another newly married couple, Sahil and Radhika, turned up in wedding costumes at a polling station set up in a school in Udhampur.
“We got married only yesterday (Thursday) and I told my husband that we should vote. My vote is not here but I accompanied him,” the bride said.
“I will be visiting my parents later in the day in a nearby village to fulfil my democratic responsibility as well,” she added.
Voting is scheduled to end at 6 pm and will decide the fate of 12 candidates, including Union minister Jitendra Singh who is seeking re-election for his third consecutive term.
Singh faces a major challenge from Congress candidate and two-time former MP Choudhary Lal Singh, while the presence of DPAP candidate G M Saroori makes the contest a triangular one.
According to election officials, voting was going on peacefully across the constituency with heavy rainfall being reported in Kathua district since this morning.
The rains failed to dampen spirits and voters were seen thronging polling stations, braving the inclement weather.
“It is my first vote on attaining the age of 18 and I was waiting for this moment,” Vanshika Sharma, a resident of Bhaderwah in Doda district, said.
Meenakshi was the first to vote at the ‘pink’ polling station in the town and expressed satisfaction over the arrangements.
Mool Raj, another voter, was happy to be presented a bouquet for being the first to vote at a polling station in Bhaderwah.
“I have voted for a candidate I think can work for the development of the district and the country,” Ashish Kumar said after casting his vote in Udhampur.
Meenakshi Devi (40) said her vote is for the country’s development.
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