Panchayat Poll: Election fever grips Jammu

Panchayat Poll
Election fever grips Jammu
Archit Watts
Tribune News Service

Jammu, April 10
With just three days left for the first phase of the panchayat elections, the election fever has gripped the region and contestants, their supporters, security personnel and electoral staff are all busy with their respective poll-related jobs.

For the panchayat poll being conducted after a gap of almost 10 years, the candidates have dotted streets, houses and shops with their propaganda material, including posters, stickers and banners.

A visit to the Bishnah area of Jammu district and the Vijaypur area of Samba district revealed that all candidates in the fray have spent a huge sum of money for this purpose.

Tilak Raj, an outgoing sarpanch of Salehar village in Bishnah, said, “The trend of poll has changed. Last time when I contested the elections, hardly anyone took the support of posters or any other printing material. But this time the scenario is altogether different. Last time, there were only three contestants for the post of sarpanch in the village, which reached to six this time.”

He said this was the major reason behind the sudden increase in demand of posters, stickers and banners.

On the other hand, publicity material has proved a boon for the printing press owners, as the elections have increased their income manifold.

“The elections are taking place after a gap of long period and the contestants are trying their best. We are getting orders more than the capacity,” said Tajinder Kumar, a printing press owner at Bari Brahamana.

He added that it was the right time for them to generate income.

The security personnel have also started roaming in their respective areas, frisking vehicles and keeping an eye on miscreants, so as to make the elections free and fair.

“Sometimes, contestants try to woo voters by adopting illegal methods, so we have been ordered by the higher-ups to keep a check on such things,” said a sub-inspector deployed at a checkpoint on the outskirts of Bishnah.

Not only the candidates and the security personnel, but also the voters are overenthusiastic to participate in the process of constituting their local self-governments.

Many people told The Tribune that they were expecting 85 to 90 per cent polling this time.

“Panchayats are the first step of the democratic system and we will definitely cast our vote on April 13,” said Ashok Kumar of Treva village.

The electoral staff has also prepared themselves for the task, as ballet boxes have already arrived from Punjab.

The fist phase of the panchayat poll in the Jammu region will be held in the Samba and Bishnah block on April 13.

Posters of various parties pasted on a wall in a bid to attract voters next to a sweet shop at Gandli Morh village near Bisnah. Tribune photo