Cachar Votes: Youth push jobs, development as turnout hits 18.08% by 9 am

Silchar, April 9: Steady voter turnout marked polling day in Assam’s Cachar district on Thursday, with voters, especially the youth voicing strong aspirations for employment opportunities, improved infrastructure, and better civic amenities.

By 11 am, voter turnout in the district stood at 18.08%.

At the Adhar Chand Higher Secondary School polling station in Silchar, voters from diverse backgrounds shared a mix of personal experiences, civic concerns, and hopes for development after casting their ballots.

First-time voter Uddipan Bhattacharjee reflected the aspirations of the younger generation, describing his experience as both nerve-wracking and fulfilling.

“I was nervous at first, but after voting, I feel relaxed and proud. Development is the key expectation for our generation with more facilities, job opportunities, industries, and better infrastructure,” he said, noting that Silchar still lags behind larger cities in terms of growth.

Several voters highlighted pressing civic issues such as traffic congestion, poor road conditions, and waterlogging.

The district administration put in place arrangements to ensure smooth polling, including separate queues for men and women and wheelchair assistance for elderly and differently-abled voters. Officials indicated that turnout figures are expected to rise as the day progresses.

However, minor disruptions were reported at a polling centre in Tarapur, where voters who had queued up as early as 6 am faced inconvenience after polling began at 7 am. An EVM malfunction at one booth caused a brief delay, though it was quickly resolved by officials.

A voter expressed concern over such glitches despite prior training of polling personnel and also pointed out the absence of a proper exit route, leading to congestion inside the booth.

Meanwhile, Lakhipur MLA and Minister Kaushik Rai cast his vote along with his family and urged citizens to actively participate in what he termed the “festival of democracy.”

“The enthusiasm among voters across the constituency and the State is highly encouraging. People are coming out in large numbers to take part in the democratic process,” he said.

In Sonai, Congress candidate Aminul Haque Laskar expressed satisfaction over the peaceful conduct of polling and enthusiastic participation. “I feel good after casting my vote along with my family. I thank everyone who came out today to support the democratic process,” he said.

Laskar described the overall atmosphere as calm and orderly, noting that voters were participating freely without any pressure.

He expressed hope that the peaceful trend would continue throughout the day, adding, “Ultimately, the results will show who wins, but what matters most is that people can vote freely and fairly.”