Kangan witnesses highest poll percentage, Eidgah lowest
‘Holding election in Anantnag a bigger challenge’
Srinagar: Only 7.14 per cent polling was recorded during the bypolls marred by violence in Srinagar parliamentary constituency, where six youth were killed and several others were injured in clashes between security forces and anti-election protestors.
“As many as 90,050 voters exercised their franchise out of 12,61,395 electorate in bypolls for Srinagar Lok Sabha seat today, putting the poll percentage at 7.14 per cent,” Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Jammu and Kashmir Shantamanu told reporters during a press conference here this evening.
He said the poll percentage was around 20 per cent less than the voting recorded in Srinagar Lok Sabha seat in 2014. “200 incident of violence were recorded during the day in Srinagar constituency,” he added.
When asked in how many polling stations re-election will be ordered, Mr Shantamanu said it could be anywhere between 50 and 100 booths or maybe more.
Meanwhile, he said Anantnag Lok Sabha seat in south Kashmir, where bypoll is scheduled to be held on April 12, would pose a ‘bigger challenge’.
The CEO said 200 incidents of violence, including stone pelting, petrol bomb attacks and vandalizing of polling booth, were reported today in the constituency, particularly in Budgam. “Six youth were killed and 17 others injured in clashes between protestors and security forces in Budgam,” he said, adding over 100 security force personnel were also injured in these clashes.
“Several vehicles, including private and public, were also set ablaze and damaged at various places in the constituency,” he added.
Giving details about the bypolls, he said in Srinagar district, 24,574 votes were polled in eight assembly segments of Srinagar parliamentary Constituency. “Hazratbal recording 3483 votes, Zadibal 3280, Eidgah 383, Khanyar 2587, Habba Kadal 2058, Amira Kadal 3331, Sonwar 4777 and Batamaloo 4675 in Srinagar district,” he said.
Similarly in five assembly segments of Budgam district, he said a total of 40,288 votes were cast with Chadoora recording 602, Budgam 13276, Beerwah 13625, KhanSahab 9492 and Chrar-e-Sharief 3293 votes.
He said in two assembly segments of Ganderbal district, a total of 24,217 votes were polled, including 15,199 in Kangan and 9018 in Ganderbal assembly segments.
He said 3.84 per cent polling was recorded in Srinagar, 8.82 per cent in Budgam and 14.71 per cent in Ganderbal districts.
He said Kangan assembly segment in Ganderbal district recorded highest voter turnout of 15,199, while lowest polling of 383 votes was recorded in Eidgah assembly segment of Srinagar district.
He said 1559 polling stations were setup in the constituency spread in three districts, including Srinagar, Ganderbal and Budgam.
Besides, he said 19 polling stations were established in Jammu, one in Udhampur and three in Delhi for Kashmiri migrant pandits.
“A total of 971 votes were also polled at the three migrant polling centres set up at Jammu, Udhampur and New Delhi,” he added. Former chief minister and president of the opposition National Conference (NC) Dr Farooq Abdullah and ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) nominee Nazir Ahmad Khan are among nine candidates seeking mandate from the constituency.
The other candidates are Bikram Singh of Liberal Democratic Party, Chetan Sharma of Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha, Sajad Reshi of Rashtriya Samajwadi Party (S), and independent candidates Sajjad Hussain Beigh, Ghulam Hassan Dar, Farooq Ahmad Dar and Mehraj Khurshid Malik.
However, the main contest is between Dr Abdullah and Mr Khan.
The Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency has been represented by NC since 1975, barring twice in 1996 and 2014. In 1996, Congress won the seat after NC did not put up any candidate when militancy was at its peak in the valley while in 2014 PDP candidate Tariq Hameed Karra got elected from the constituency after defeating NC president Dr Farooq Abdullah by a margin of about 50,000 votes.
Mr Karra resigned from the seat and PDP before joining Congress, which has announced to support the NC candidate after the two parties entered into an alliance.
Among the 15 assembly segments, seven are represented by PDP, seven by NC and one PDF.
The constituency, which has around 12.61 lakh eligible voters, remained a stronghold of NC since 1975 when the party (NC) started participating in the democratic process following Indira-Sheikh accord.
However, in 1996 the seat was won by Congress candidate Ghulam Mohammad Mir when NC did not put up any candidate as majority NC leaders, including Dr Abdullah and Omar Abdullah were living outside the valley due to militancy.
Before 1967, members to Lok Sabha were being nominated from Jammu and Kashmir.
Former prime minister of the state Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad was the first to represent the Srinagar constituency in 1967.
However, in 1971 Shamim Ahmad Shamim, an independent candidate supported by “Mahaz Raishumari Front” headed by Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah won from the constituency.
Later after Indira-Sheikh accord in 1975, Begum Akbar Jehan, mother of Dr Abdullah represented the seat in 1977 as NC nominee.
Abdul Rashid Kabli of NC represented the seat in 1984 and Mohammad Shafi Bhat (NC) in 1989.
Congress candidate Ghlam Mohammad Mir won in 1996. Meanwhile, Omar Abdullah represented the constituency in 1998, 1999 and 2004.
In 2009, Dr Abdullah won from the constituency as NC nominee and become minister in the UPA government.
However, Dr Abdullah lost to Mr Karra of PDP in 2014 by a margin of about 50,000 votes.
Mr Karra who was opposed to alliance with BJP finally resigned from PDP and Lok Sabha to join Congress with the result the seat became vacant.
Even after the defeat, Dr Abdullah announced that he will contest elections as NC candidate till he is alive.
All 1,559 polling booths spread in three districts in Srinagar parliamentary seat have been categorized as “hypersensitive” or “sensitive”.
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