Udhampur/Jammu: Several newly married couples dressed in wedding attire reached polling booths to cast their votes in the first phase of Lok Sabha elections in Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur constituency on Friday.
A groom, dressed in traditional attire, wearing a sherwan and a colorful cap, is the first to cast his vote along with his friends at a polling booth in Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur, as the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections began on Friday.
Kapil Gupta got married on Thursday and immediately after returning home on Friday morning, he exercised his franchise in Udhampur. Urging people to vote in large numbers, he said, "Voting is our right and it should be done on priority."
Udhampur Voting began at 7 am in the Udhampur constituency spread across five districts of Kathua, Ramban, Doda and Kishtwar.Till 3 pm, an estimated 57.09 percent of the 16.23 lakh voters have exercised their franchise.
Sahil and Radhika, a newly married couple, arrive at the polling booth in wedding attire.
"We got married yesterday (Thursday) and I told my husband that we should vote. My vote is not here but I went with him," the bride said. That ancestral village.
A similar scene was seen at a polling booth set up in the Government Middle School in Parli Vand of Kaithu district.Aseem Mangotra and his wife Vaishal arrived to cast their votes soon after completing their wedding rituals.
Mangotra said, "I have come straight from the wedding ceremony and I did not want to waste my vote. Registration of one's choice to elect one's representatives happens only once in five years." Echoing her husband's sentiments, Vishali said voting is a power in the hands of the common people and should not be wasted.
A bride's farewell ceremony in Bhaderwah town in Doda district was delayed so that she could cast her vote."I appeal to people to vote for the development of the country," Vishal Shanky said after his wife Monica Sharm cast her vote.
Former Ramban MLA and BJP leader Neelam Langhe, who got married two days ago, went to the Kundi polling station with his wife in wedding attire to cast his vote.
Despite the Election Commission providing 'vote from home' for elderly 104-year-old Tirlok Singh, 102-year-old Kehar Singh and Zaitoona Begum (100) cast their votes at their polling stations in Udhampur, Kathua and Doda respectively. Naseeb Singh (93) and his wife Shanti Devi (87) exercised their franchise in Udhampur and expressed satisfaction over the arrangements made by the authorities at the polling stations.
Rakesh Minhas, returning officer of Udhampur Lok Sabha constituency, thanked the newly married couples and elderly persons for coming to the polling stations and said that their enthusiasm would motivate the youth to exercise their franchise.Rain failed to dampen the enthusiasm and voters were seen gathering at polling stations despite the inclement weather.
“This is my first vote since I turned 18 and I was waiting for this moment,” said Vanshika Sharma, a resident of Bhaderwah in Doda district.
Meenakshi, who was the first to vote at the city's 'Pink' polling station, expressed satisfaction over the arrangements.
Another voter, Mool Raj, was happy to be presented a bouquet for being the first person to vote at a polling station in Bhaderwah.
After casting his vote in Udhampur, Ashish Kumar said, “I feel I have voted for a candidate who can work for the development of the district and the country.,
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 the third consecutive time.
Singh faces a major challenge from Congress candidate and former two-time M Chaudhary Lal Singh, while the presence of DPAP candidate GM Saruri makes the contest triangular.
A groom, dressed in traditional attire, wearing a sherwan and a colorful cap, is the first to cast his vote along with his friends at a polling booth in Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur, as the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections began on Friday.
Kapil Gupta got married on Thursday and immediately after returning home on Friday morning, he exercised his franchise in Udhampur. Urging people to vote in large numbers, he said, "Voting is our right and it should be done on priority."
Udhampur Voting began at 7 am in the Udhampur constituency spread across five districts of Kathua, Ramban, Doda and Kishtwar.Till 3 pm, an estimated 57.09 percent of the 16.23 lakh voters have exercised their franchise.
Sahil and Radhika, a newly married couple, arrive at the polling booth in wedding attire.
"We got married yesterday (Thursday) and I told my husband that we should vote. My vote is not here but I went with him," the bride said. That ancestral village.
A similar scene was seen at a polling booth set up in the Government Middle School in Parli Vand of Kaithu district.Aseem Mangotra and his wife Vaishal arrived to cast their votes soon after completing their wedding rituals.
Mangotra said, "I have come straight from the wedding ceremony and I did not want to waste my vote. Registration of one's choice to elect one's representatives happens only once in five years." Echoing her husband's sentiments, Vishali said voting is a power in the hands of the common people and should not be wasted.
A bride's farewell ceremony in Bhaderwah town in Doda district was delayed so that she could cast her vote."I appeal to people to vote for the development of the country," Vishal Shanky said after his wife Monica Sharm cast her vote.
Former Ramban MLA and BJP leader Neelam Langhe, who got married two days ago, went to the Kundi polling station with his wife in wedding attire to cast his vote.
Despite the Election Commission providing 'vote from home' for elderly 104-year-old Tirlok Singh, 102-year-old Kehar Singh and Zaitoona Begum (100) cast their votes at their polling stations in Udhampur, Kathua and Doda respectively. Naseeb Singh (93) and his wife Shanti Devi (87) exercised their franchise in Udhampur and expressed satisfaction over the arrangements made by the authorities at the polling stations.
Rakesh Minhas, returning officer of Udhampur Lok Sabha constituency, thanked the newly married couples and elderly persons for coming to the polling stations and said that their enthusiasm would motivate the youth to exercise their franchise.Rain failed to dampen the enthusiasm and voters were seen gathering at polling stations despite the inclement weather.
“This is my first vote since I turned 18 and I was waiting for this moment,” said Vanshika Sharma, a resident of Bhaderwah in Doda district.
Meenakshi, who was the first to vote at the city's 'Pink' polling station, expressed satisfaction over the arrangements.
Another voter, Mool Raj, was happy to be presented a bouquet for being the first person to vote at a polling station in Bhaderwah.
After casting his vote in Udhampur, Ashish Kumar said, “I feel I have voted for a candidate who can work for the development of the district and the country.,
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 the third consecutive time.
Singh faces a major challenge from Congress candidate and former two-time M Chaudhary Lal Singh, while the presence of DPAP candidate GM Saruri makes the contest triangular.
