At 49%, turnout lowest of all four phases in Kashmir; 62% exercise their franchise in Jharkhand
As the elections concluded in Kashmir valley on Sunday, the flood-devastated Srinagar saw an improvement over the past records of poll boycott to log a 28 per cent turnout, whereas the overall turnout in the fourth phase conducted in 18 constituencies spread over Shopian and Anantnag districts of South Kashmir, Srinagar and Samba in Jammu remained subdued at 49 per cent.
At the same time in Jharkhand, polling in 15 constituencies saw an 62 per cent electorate exercising its franchise as the day passed off peacefully. “62 per cent polling has been registered, which may go up (in the final count),” Chief Electoral Officer PK Jajoria said.
In Srinagar, even as the entire city was besieged by alert police and paramilitary forces, the air was not filled with fright and tension. Those not willing to vote were playing cricket on the streets rather than engaging the uniformed men in pitched battles.
Even as 49 per cent is the lowest turnout in all the phases conducted so far, the numbers are reassuring for the poll managers due to the upward trend recorded in the eight segments of Srinagar city.
Surprisingly, Sonawar segment of the Capital, where Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is fighting a tough battle, recorded the highest turnout of 44.17 per cent, the highest percentage in any Srinagar constituency in the polls held after 1996. The percentage is likely to give sleepless nights to Abdullah who claimed that Srinagar would throw up a surprise.
The ruling National Conference had swept all eight seats of the Capital in the 2008 Assembly election, which phenomenally increased its numbers and catapulted Abdullah to the hot seat. However, post-flood inaction of the Government and perpetual neglect of the area seems to have taken a heavy toll on the popularity of the party.
Interestingly, the flood-hit constituencies — Sonawar, Amira Kadal, Hazratbal and Batmaloo registered more polling than the segments where flood had less or no impact.
The enthusiasm of voters was visible as queues formed outside booths well before 8 am when the process was scheduled to start. Draped in heavy woolens on the misty morning, the cheerful voters were not shy of disclosing their preferences. Inside the high school compound at Pandrethan, several first-time voters lined up to cast vote for “change”.
“We have seen a lot of monotony. This time we have decided to change the course of our history. We are for change”, said Saima, a 22-year girl who wore a pheran and veil.
Some elderly women came in trendy cars to cast their votes. In two booths, 156 and 148 votes had been cast in first two hours.
At Hindu High School in Habba Kadal constituency, the scene was not altogether different. Women were outnumbering their male counterparts to cast their votes. This locality in the core of Srinagar was once a hub of Pandits who left the Valley en masse in 1989 following eruption of militancy. The polling booths for Sathu and Barbarbarshah localities were bustling with activity. By 11 am 157 and 233 votes had been cast. The first voter had arrived at 8 am sharp.
Even as the Habba Kadal constituency recorded the lowest of 21.01 per cent votes, the lowest so far in any segment in the State, the turnout has thrown an interesting scenario. The BJP is banking on this segment on the basis of migrant Pandits’ votes. Interestingly, BJP candidate Moti Kaul was camping in Jammu rather than on the ground zero.
However, at Mirwaiz Umar Farooq’s pocket borough Rajouri Kadal, the scene was not different from the past. Mirwaiz had called for poll boycott and has been in and out of his house on the will of the authorities. For many days he has not been allowed to venture out of his house in the wake of polling. At Islamia High School polling booth, no voter turned up all the day in one booth while as in the adjacent room 12 out of 374 voters had cast their votes till 3 pm.
Except an anti-poll march in Maisuma locality and a stone-pelting incident in Shaheedganj area that resulted into injuries to a polling staff, the situation remained peaceful throughout the day.
Chief Electoral Officer Umang Narula said the highest turnout was recorded in Vijaypur Assembly constituency of district Samba. He said district Srinagar recorded 28% polling while in district Anantnag , Shopian and samba recorded 61, 50 and 81 percent polling respectively.
The fourth phase concluded voting in ladakh and Kashmir regions. The fifth and final phase will be held in 20 constituencies of Jammu on December 20.
Jharkhand: In Ranchi, Election Commission officials said the polling, which began at 7 am in all the seats, ended at 3 pm in 13 constituencies while it concluded at 5 pm in Dhanbad and Bokaro.
The 13 seats, which went for polling in the fourth round of the five-phase polls in the State, were Madhupur, Deogarh (SC), Bagodar, Jamua (SC), Gandey, Giridih, Dumri, Chandankyari (SC), Sindri, Nirsa, Jharia, Tundi and Baghmara. Polling for the rest 16 seats in Jharkhand will be held in the fifth and final phase elections on December 20 and counting will be taken up on December 23 for the 81-member State Assembly.
Of the segments, Chandankyari (SC) registered the highest turnout of 71.28 per cent, followed by Madhupur at 70.20 per cent, the EC sources said. At Pirtand in Giridih Assembly constituency Maoists posters asking the voters to boycott the polls had been removed, police sources said. Giridih registered 62.61 per cent votes. Giridih is the second seat from where former Chief Minister and Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik) President Babulal Marandi are contesting. He also contested from Dhanwar, where polling was held in the third phase on December 9. An FIR was filed against an activist of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) at a booth in Tundi constituency for allegedly taking a party banner inside the booth.