जम्मू-कश्मीर में एक दशक बाद हो रहे विधानसभा चुनाव में कही उत्साह तो कही कम हुए मतदान

In the assembly elections being held after a decade in Jammu and Kashmir, there was enthusiasm in some places and voting was low in others.

In the assembly elections being held after a decade in Jammu and Kashmir, people participated in the voting with full enthusiasm. In the first phase, 61.13 percent voting took place for 24 seats in seven districts. There is no information of any untoward incident from anywhere during the voting. According to the Election Commission, the highest voting of 80.14 percent took place in Kishtwar and the lowest of 46.65 percent in Pulwama. Chief Electoral Officer PK Pole said that in many areas where the traditional vote percentage was minimum, record voting took place. In this, the maximum voting took place in Pulwama and Shopian districts of South Kashmir after the last four Lok Sabha elections and three assembly elections. These areas were considered to be the stronghold of terrorism. Pole said, there is no need for re-polling anywhere due to peaceful elections.

In this phase, 7.14 lakh voters decided the fate of 219 candidates. Long queues were seen in the morning and evening amid tight security at 1,328 polling stations in eight seats in Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban of Chenab Valley. Green polling stations were also set up to send a message about environmental concerns. The first phase includes Anantnag, Pulwama, Kulgam and Shopian of South Kashmir. More than 35 thousand Kashmiri Pandits living in different states of the country also exercised their franchise. 24 special booths were set up for displaced Pandits. These included 19 in Jammu, 4 in Delhi and one in Udhampur. It is noteworthy that this is the first assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370 and division of the then state into two union territories.

Ignoring the evil intentions and violence in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, the public voted peacefully except for sporadic incidents for peace, harmony and goodwill. Voters showed maximum enthusiasm in three assembly seats of Kishtwar district and cast record votes (80.14%). Long queues were seen at polling booths since morning. The lowest voting (46.65%) was recorded in four seats of Pulwama district. However, despite this, the voting record of the last seven elections was broken here. 57.84% voting took place in seven seats of Anantnag. 71.34% voting took place in three seats of Doda district, 62.46% in three seats of Kulgam, 70.55% in two seats of Ramban, 55.96% in two seats of Shopian. In four districts of Kashmir, there was an increase of 2.50% as compared to 2014, while 0.35% less votes were cast in Jammu division. What is special is that the voting percentage has increased in Pulwama, Shopian and Kulgam districts of Kashmir, which are under the influence of Jamaat, while the voting percentage has fallen in Anantnag, the stronghold of PDP.

The Election Commission said that the enthusiasm of the voters to cast their votes is a picture of high spirits against boycott and violence. This shows the faith of the people in democracy. Kashmiri migrant voters also exercised their franchise at 19 polling stations in Jammu, one in Udhampur and 4 in Delhi. 24 special booths were made for them. Many voters above 85 years of age and disabled people were given the facility to vote from their homes. A total of 219 candidates are in the fray in the first phase, out of which 9 are women. Apart from this, the fate of 90 independents is also captured in the EVM. Young and women voters participated in the voting in large numbers, which became a symbol of public trust in the faith of democracy in Jammu and Kashmir. Displaced Kashmiri Pandits voted in 16 seats of Anantnag, Pulwama, Shopian and Kulgam districts. Voting for the second and third phases will be held on September 25 and October 1 respectively. Counting of votes will be held on the 8th.

There was a dispute between BJP candidate Shagun Parihar and PDP candidate Firdous Ahmed Tak on the allegation of fake voting in Baghwan Mohalla Middle School of Kishtwar. It even came to blows. Police chased away the workers of both the parties. The BJP candidate had alleged fake voting here. Due to this, voting was stopped for some time. Barring sporadic incidents, there was no major disturbance anywhere during the voting in 24 assembly constituencies in the first phase. This did not lead to re-polling anywhere.