Bihar's Big Day: 'Democracy's Festival Starts at Dawn,' Says Governor Khan

New Delhi: With first phase of Bihar’s assembly elections just hours away, Governor Arif Mohammad Khan said  on Wednesday that every logistical detail is locked in place, branding the vote a joyous affirmation of democratic vitality.  

Speaking to reporters following a function at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC),Khan said, “Voting begins tomorrow and every arrangement stands complete. I am certain that democracy in India has grown remarkably resilient,”.

Khan added that leadership emerges from public choice, not pedigree. "Those entrusted with governance earn their authority at the polling booth. They secure a temporary commission from citizens of the nation and its states. Ultimate sovereignty rests with the people, not the rulers,".

Citing President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi as beacons of possibility, the Governor said their journeys to the pinnacle of power convey an uplifting truth.  

"This tells every ordinary citizen, particularly the young, that no ceiling caps ambition in our system. Win the electorate’s confidence, and the horizon is boundless,” he said.

Turning to  Jammu and Kashmir’s lingering Union Territory arrangement and the stalled return of full statehood, Khan  said "Kashmir has borne a heavier burden than most since the 1947 division," he added that the entire country shares the pain.

"From the prime minister downward, all yearn for lasting calm in Jammu and Kashmir and the revival of statehood. No one wishes to treat disturbances here as routine. The prime minister seeks genuine self-determination for the valley,"  Khan said.

Yet he cautioned that stability must precede structural change. "First, everyday order must take root. Only then can life mirror the normalcy seen elsewhere. This demands joint vigilance to ensure the law prevails uniformly across Kashmir as in any other corner of India," he said.