SRINAGAR, Sep 24: A day before voting, Srinagar District Election Officer (DEO) Bilal Mohi-Ud-Din Bhat on Tuesday urged young, eligible voters to come out and cast their votes.
“I encourage all voters, especially the newly eligible young voters, to show the same enthusiasm they displayed during their enrolment by coming out tomorrow to vote for their candidate,” DEO Bhat told media in Srinagar.
The people of three districts in the Kashmir Valley, including Srinagar, will vote tomorrow in the second phase of Assembly elections across 15 constituencies to elect their representatives.
Bhat said that 932 polling stations have been set up across the eight Assembly segments of Srinagar district, and the polling staff, along with the necessary Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and other materials, were being inducted by Tuesday.
He noted that voter turnout was strong during the Parliamentary elections in Srinagar, and since then, an additional 35,000 voters have been registered across the eight Assembly segments.
“Democracy thrives when all voters actively participate in the voting process on September 25, rather than treating it as a holiday,” Bhat said. “Youngsters can go for a picnic or play cricket on another day, but the chance to vote only comes once every five years.”
He urged young voters to leave their homes and cast their ballots on Wednesday to elect their representatives.
Bhat also assured that all necessary facilities, including minimum assured services, have been arranged at every polling station in Srinagar district.
In response to a question, Bhat said that the voter turnout during the last Parliamentary elections in the Srinagar constituency was nearly 38 percent, with Srinagar city alone recording a 26 percent turnout.
“We are expecting a strong response from the public tomorrow and encourage everyone to come out and vote,” he added, noting that all security measures have been implemented to ensure safe and peaceful voting. (Agencies)
