"We need development, that's why we need to vote," said 54-year-old Abdul Majid.
Around 10 in the morning, the temperature in Kashmir's Ganderbal hovered around 7 degrees Celsius. But neither cold, nor disability could keep 54-year-old Abdul Majid at home today. The state had an appointment with democracy.
"We need development here, that's why we need to vote. Where will we go if we don't vote? It is important," said Majid, a supporter of the ruling National Conference led by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
Ganderbal was the bastion of the Abdullah family for 40 years. But it lost its shine after Omar Abdullah shifted out to contest from Srinagar's Sonwar and Budgam's Beerwah constituencies this time. The NC supporters are pinning their hopes on Ashfaq Jabbar, who is up against People's Democratic Party's Qazi Afzal.
Despite being part of a high-profile constituency, this area of Ganderbal needs electricity, education, health facilities and jobs. To get to the Barsoo polling booth, Majid had to crawl around one km from his home.
Almost 80% of the over-1000 registered voters turned up at the booth today. Six months ago, only one voter had turned up at the booth to vote in the parliamentary elections.
People said it was possible to vote today in the first of the five phases of the assembly elections as there was no militant threat or effective separatist boycott campaign. Last time, after a boycott call separatists were determined to enforce it.
With no fear to hinder them, the state turned out in droves to vote - by the end of the day, the overall voting percentage had crossed 71, the highest in 25 years.
"This time, it is not politics, but local governance issues. That's why we are coming out to vote," said Barsoo resident Ghulam Nabi.
Fifteen of J&K's 87 constituencies voted today. The votes will be counted on December 23.