Urjita Gupta
Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar with other officials addressed a press conference on 16th August 2024 announcing the first J&K Assembly Elections after a decade which will be held in three phases starting from 18th September 2024. This will be the first Assembly Election after the abrogation of article 370.
“The people of Jammu and Kashmir chose ballot over bullets and boycott” said Chief Election Commissioner while addressing the press conference referring to the Lok Sabha Elections wherein J&K recorded highest voter turnout in 35 years, where the combined voter turnout at the polling stations for the entire UT was 58.46% in the General Elections 2024. Voter turnout is not just a statistical data; it is the barometer of the democratic health.
The Office of Chief Minister in J&K has been vacant since June 2018 and elections were long due in the UT, assembly polls will strengthen the principle of federalism which was certainly subdued after the abrogation of 370 due to security concerns, but now finally people of Jammu and Kashmir will elect their representatives whom they can hold responsible.
Why casting vote is crucial?
The quote “Whatever you’re, even if you’re not interested in politics, politics is interested in you” said by the famous statesman of ancient Greece ‘Pericles’ stands true even today, democracy which started from Athens has evolved overtime but the curial element of any democratic state remains the same which is ‘the will of its citizens’. It doesn’t really matter whether one is apolitical or not, politics always affects our lives in ways which are beyond our imagination. Hence casting vote is a collective responsibility, elections are the medium for a common man to participate in the decision making process. The right to vote is one of the most fundamental rights of citizens in any democratic country, moreover it is our responsibility to elect our representatives who in turn fulfils the need of the people, casting vote extends way beyond the mechanics of the process of selecting the righteous candidate. It is the tool for change and for the betterment of the future generations with respect to education, employment, heath, finance and other key sectors in the UT.
Each vote counts
At the heart of the electoral process lies the power to choose: the power to elect leaders who advocate for our interests and aspirations. Casting vote reflects the faith in democratic process and ensures engagement of people who are eligible to vote. Some people often say that their vote doesn’t really make a difference, even if one thinks that their single vote may not be the deciding factor they should remember that every vote contributes to the overall outcome, candidates sometimes win with the margin of few hundreds of votes, this is the beauty of democracy wherein people hold immense amount of power. We can influence and change the future political discourse. We should not cast our vote in the name of caste or religion instead we should vote for stability and progress. It is important to remember that your vote will decide the fate of the UT and subsequently the nation’s as well.
What is important while voting is to elect a leader not mere a politician as James Freeman Clarke said that “A politician thinks of the next elections; a statesman thinks of the next generation.” Let us recognize the power vested in our hands in order to make our voices heard – vote and be an active participant in shaping the future of J&K. The simple act of voting will sow the seeds of progress and uphold the pillar of democracy.
Be a voter and encourage others to head to the polls as well.
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