India's disputed Kashmir votes after special status scrapped

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00:00Long queues form outside polling stations as the first round of voting in India's Jammu

00:06and Kashmir gets underway.

00:09The local election is the first held since the region's special autonomy was revoked.

00:14People expect unemployment and unlawful detentions to be addressed.

00:18Kashmir is struggling with plenty of issues right now.

00:23We don't want the rule of a governor.

00:26Under the current system, we've been scared to voice our concerns.

00:30Our boys are being picked up by police in the night.

00:34It's only with an elected government that we can raise these issues.

00:38Since 2019, the region has been ruled directly from New Delhi, allowing it to appoint administrators

00:44and unelected bureaucrats.

00:47While the election will allow for a limited transfer of power in areas such as education

00:51and culture, security will still be controlled by the federal government.

00:56Nevertheless, turnout is expected to be high, with voters acknowledging the election is

01:00better than nothing.

01:05The government won't have as much power as before, but at least the people of Jammu and

01:09Kashmir will have some relief.

01:14Having a say is better than nothing.

01:15I feel it will be the end of ten years of excess bureaucratic rule in Jammu and Kashmir.

01:24Two additional phases of the vote are due to take place within the next two weeks.

01:29Over half a million security personnel have been deployed to secure the election, with

01:34results expected on the 8th of October.

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