Border Residents

segments registered more than 70 per cent polling, till 5 pm. It is likely to maintain its history of high voter turnout as in the last parliamentary elections, the constituency registered about 74 per cent polling. Shelling from across the border has remained a major concern for the border residents and the administration alike but this time the elections are taking place in a peaceful atmosphere owing to a renewed ceasefire between the two countries on February 25, 2021 .

Last year, a BSF jawan was killed in Pakistan Rangers firing in the Ramgarh sector, the first loss of life on the Indian side in more than three years.

Despite the ceasefire, Pole said a contingency plan has been put in place to ensure no disruption in polling along the borders even if there is a ceasefire violation from across the border. “Earlier, we were living under the looming threat of firing and shelling from across the border but the situation has changed for good ever since the ceasefire came into effect and we are carrying out our daily chores, including farming, normally,” former sarpanch Parveen Singh told PTI after casting his vote in a polling station in the last Indian village in Suchetgarh sector on the outskirts of Jammu. Singh said they are happy as almost all government schemes reached the border areas, ensuring the upliftment of the people and the development of the region.

However, former Panch Sham Singh was critical of the government and said the promised five marlas of land for border residents to ensure a roof on their heads during cross-border shelling had remained a distant dream. “We have suffered a big loss due to abrogation of Article 370 (a constitution provision that provided special status to J&K) in August 2019,” he said, criticising the government for its alleged failure to generate employment opportunities for the youth, introducing Agnipath scheme and delaying assembly elections. “We want assembly elections so that the popular government is restored. People are for change,” he said.