Voters of India’s ‘first polling station’ in Seemari village demand basic amenities

A day ahead of third and final phase of Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, over 400 voters from Seemari village, home to India’s ‘first polling station’ along the Line of Control (LoC), demand basic necessities such as better road access, free electricity, healthcare services, increased ration supplies and mobile network.

Residents are urging political parties and local authorities to address these urgent issues to improve their quality of life. They express concern that leaders forget about them after elections, noting that the only support they receive in times of need—whether for employment, food, medicine, or other essentials—comes from the Indian Army deployed along the LoC. In Seemari village, a total of 443 voters will participate, comprising 226 men and 217 women.

Mohammad Sharif, a resident of the village, said, “This is Seemari village, the last one on the India-Pakistan border, and it has India’s first polling booth. We continue to vote, but we lack roads, hospitals, electricity, and stores. We have been facing many challenges. The government needs to address our needs. Leaders come to seek our votes but often forget us after elections. Although the government support us, the funds rarely reach us; these funds seem to disappear along the way. Some leaders have visited and spoken with us, but they haven’t made any commitments to meet our demands.”

Another local Ali Asgar said that the village lacks road facilities, and three nearby villages—Phagwan, Trutihaji, and Kadhama—have no road connectivity. “When someone falls ill, they are carried on a cot to a nearby road to avail vehicle since it can’t access the area. The sick person has to pay Rs 1,500 for a vehicle from the nearest road to get to the Tangdhar hospital. Although there is a clinic here, it has no medicine, and the roads are in poor condition. We spend over Rs 500 on electricity (monthly), but we only receive four hours of supply each day. Leaders promise us roads and electricity, but nothing materialises. We receive a 5 kg ration on a monthly basis, which isn’t enough to last a month. We also lack a mobile network and job opportunities,” he said.

Another resident of the Seemari village, Naseer Awan said, “The government does provide some support for our welfare, but we don’t receive everything we need. Living on the border of India and Pakistan, our only assistance comes from the Indian Army. We owe our survival to them; they provide employment and help our people during illnesses or emergencies,” he said.

He asserted further that without the Army here, they would struggle to survive.