Security forces have been fanned out in expansive Srinagar-Budgam parliamentary constituency scheduled to undergo bypoll on Sunday, the first electoral exercise in Kashmir since the massive public unrest last year. The voters will decide the fate of nine candidates including that of former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah who is joint candidate of opposition National Conference and Congress.
The separatists have called for a complete shutdown and asked people hold protests on the pattern of last year’s unrest. Around a hundred protesters were killed and thousands of others were injured in a campaign launched by the State Government to quell the unrest triggered by killing of Hizbul Mujahideen leader Burhan Wani in July 2016.
Observers say that the impact of unrest is still looming large over the Valley and it would definitely cast shadow on the voter turnout. There is no poll atmosphere visible and the political parties refrained from holding public rallies. They canvassing remained mostly confined to meetings with workers at highly secured enclaves, mostly party offices.
Officials said that around 200 additional companies of para-military forces have been deployed for smooth conduct of polls. As many as 25 companies of Jammu & Kashmir Armed Police have been deployed for smooth campaigning and elections. The Srinagar election would be followed by by-poll in south Kashmir parliamentary segment where chief minister Mehbooba Mufti’s brother Tasaduq Mufti is fighting his maiden election.
The officials said that at least 1259279 voters at 1559 polling stations are slated to cast their votes in the bye-elections for Srinagar parliament seat on Sunday as 6236 polling staff have been deployed.
The Srinagar lok Sabha seat fell vacant after Tariq Hamid Karra, then a senior leader of ruling Peoples Democratic Parrty resigned from his post and party in protest against the killings in Kashmir and the party’s alliance with the BJP. Kara later joined the Congress and campaigned for Farooq Abdullah whom he had defeated in the 2014 elections. Around 18 per cent turnout was recorded in the 2014 parliament elections in Srinagar.
Though nine candidates are in fray, the actual contest is between Abdullah and ruling PDP candidate Nazir Ahmad Khan, who quit Congress a few months ago. Khan is influential in Beerwah assembly segment in Budgam district where he offered a tough fight to Omar Abdullah who ultimately cruised through in the assembly election in 2014.
Ahead of the by-poll for Srinagar and Anantnag seat, three militant attacks took place on security forces in which two police and paramilitary personnel were killed and several others injured.
Meanwhile, suspected militants fired gunshots near a poll function of the the ruling PDP in Achabal area of Anantnag district. The function was being addressed by a PDP leader and minister. Security forces immediately cordoned off the areas to search for suspected militants.