Hiranagar women outnumber men at polling stations

Dinesh Manhotra

Tribune News Service

Londi (InternationalBorder), December 20

Undeterred by threat of shelling from across the border, people came out in large numbers to exercise their right to franchise in the border areas of Kathua and Jammu districts in the last and final phase of the Assembly elections today.

Although the turnout was heavy in all border constituencies, the participation of women was encouraging in Kathua district, especially in the Hiranagar Assembly constituency.

Government Middle School, Londi, where polling was underway for the Hiranagar Assembly seat, saw a huge participation of women. Londi, a village at a stone’s throw from the international border, has bore the maximum brunt of shelling from across the border. Migration to safer places at the time of border skirmishes is a routine affair in this belt.

“Threat of shelling from across the border always looms large on this village but it our duty to cast the vote,” said Geeta Devi, a resident of Londi. Geeta said she had gone to Punjab to attend a family function but made it a point to reach her native place on the polling day.

The polling station at Government Middle School, Londi, had 1,042 votes —- 554 males and 488 females.

When the polling ended today, 410 females had exercised their right to franchise while the number of males who voted was 379. Almost a similar scene was witnessed at the polling station in Government Higher Secondary School, Hiranagar.