Close to 14 lakh electorate ( around 60 per cent), belonging to different age groups and political beliefs, dressed in their traditional attire, demonstrated the superiority and priority of ‘ballot over the bullet’ on Wednesday as they queued up outside the polling stations. The voters exhibited the vibrant colors of Indian democracy, for the first time after the Abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, to elect their public representatives after a gap of 10 years in 24 Assembly constituencies spread across seven districts of Jammu and Kashmir amid unprecedented security arrangements.
Barring a few incidents, the polling passed off peacefully across Jammu and Kashmir.
Briefing media persons, Chief Electoral Officer PK Pole said that approximately 60 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 6 pm.
During the 2014 Assembly polls, Jammu and Kashmir witnessed 65.91 per cent voter turnout. PK Pole said the overall polling percentage may witness marginal correction as several polling parties from remote areas were yet to report to their headquarters.
Overall voter turnout of 58.46 percent was recorded across five Parliamentary segments in Jammu and Kashmir in May 2024.
CEO PK Pole said after the 2008 Assembly/ Lok Sabha polls, the voter turnout across 24 Assembly constituencies was the highest so far. Kashmiri migrants also participated in the voting across different polling booths in New Delhi and Jammu.
The fate of Iltija Mufti, daughter of PDP Chief and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, Shagun Parihar, daughter of BJP leader Ajeet Parihar killed by terrorists in Kishtwar, former JKPCC Chief and Minister GA Mir from Dooru, Sunil Sharma, BJP general secretary contesting from Padder Nagseni is sealed in the EVMs.
Out of seven districts, Kishtwar recorded the highest voter turnout of 77.23 per cent followed by Doda 69.33 per cent and Ramban 67.71 per cent, PK Pole added. BJP is locked in a straight fight with the alliance partners — National Conference and the Congress party in the Chenab valley region.
Out of eight Assembly segments, the three Assembly seats of Inderwal, Kishtwar, and Padder Nagsent witnessed a tough fight on ground zero. Inderwal Assembly segment recorded over 80 per cent voter turnout while the Kishtwar seat saw over 75 per cent and Padder Nagseni 77 per cent voter turnout.
A polling station in Bagwan Mohalla in Kishtwar witnessed some clashes between the two rival candidates and their supporters during the polling. “There was some issue regarding identification, one person did not have an identity card. The situation is normal, voting has resumed,” Kishtwar DM Rajesh Kumar Shavan said.
In Kashmir valley, the South Kashmir district of Kulgam recorded over 61.57 per cent voter turnout followed by Anantnag where 54.17 per cent voter turnout was reported till 6pm. Shopian and Pulwama, which remained hotbeds of militancy, recorded 53.64 per cent and 46 per cent polling.
The highest voter turnout was attributed to the safe and secure environment prevailing across Jammu and Kashmir, the participation of a large number of candidates and reach out by the different political parties during the campaign, and the presence of independent candidates supported by the banned Jamaat-e-Islami.
One of the new entrants in the fray Sayyar Ahmad Reshi, an independent candidate supported by the banned Jamaat-e-Islami said.”I want to see a peaceful environment in Kashmir. I want to end the barbarism and give a better platform to the youth. I urge voters to use their conscience while voting for your candidate”.
PDP candidate from Pulwama Waheed-Ur-Rehman Para said this assembly election is a fight to reclaim whatever we have lost in August 2019 at the time of reorganisation of the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir.
He said the message is clear that the Kashmiris want to fight democratically and within the Indian constitution and through voting they want to express their anguish, anger and dissent.
