Over 70% voter turnout in Phase-I J&K polls: Narula
Around 60% KP migrant electorate cast votes
Sonawari records highest 80 pc voting; Ganderbal records lowest turnout with 52.97%
Defying the separatists’ boycott call, terror threats and chilly weather conditions, over 70 percent electorate across 15 constituencies, spread in 7 districts of the state, Tuesday cast their vote in an ‘absolutely peaceful and incident free’ first phase of the assembly elections.
Belying all apprehensions of low voter turnout on account of separatists’ boycott calls and post-floods scenario in the Valley, the voter turnout was overwhelming particularly in five assembly segments in both Ganderbal and Bandipora districts recording an increase of 13 and 11 percent respectively as compared to 2008 assembly elections.
Interestingly, of all 15 constituencies, Sonawari assembly constituency recorded highest 80 percent voting however Ganderbal assembly segment recorded lowest turnout with 52.97 percent.
“Barring minor scuffles between the party workers outside polling booths at some places, it was absolutely peaceful incident free polling with no major incident reported from anywhere in 15 constituencies which went to polls today in the first phase. An aggregate tentative voter turnout is 70 percent, which is all likely to go up as the details are awaited from some remote areas of Leh and parts of Kishtwar. Moreover, the polling is still on in 13 polling stations till the last details poured in,” stated the Chief Electoral Officer J&K Umang Narula, while addressing media here this evening.
Responding to questions pertaining to impact of separatists’ boycott call, he stated that the Commission was only concerned about the turnout and the turnout figures were fairly good. “I don’t think we need to say anything else on this account as figures are self-explanatory and the credit goes to the voters,” he said. Faced with queries about reports of some blasts and the militants hurling grenades in the Valley at some polling stations, he said, “There was one such incident happened in Bandipora but we’re told that it was a fire cracker.”
Giving segment wise break up of voting percentage upto 6.00 PM in all 15 assembly segments of Kashmir and Jammu divisions which went to polls today in the first phase, Narula informed that 77.15 percent votes were cast in 9-Gurez while voter turnout was 70 percent in 10-Bandipora, 80.10 percent in 11-Sonawari, 76.83 percent in 16-Kangan, 53 (52.07) percent in 17-Ganderbal, 75.60 percent in 47-Nobra, 66 percent in 48-Leh, 60 (59.82) percent in 49-Kargil, 71.07 percent in 50-Zanskar, 68.83 percent in 51-Kishtwar, 72.50 percent in 52-Inderwal, 79.6 percent in 53-Doda, 70.18 percent in 54-Bhaderwah, 68 percent in 55-Ramban (SC) and 70 percent in 56-Banihal.
Regarding migrant voter percentage, he said that roughly around 60 percent migrant voters were cast.
Narula stated that the polling was held in a peaceful atmosphere and no untoward incident was reported from any part of the constituency.
About overwhelming voter turnout percentage, the CEO said, “The voter participation in assembly elections is always much more. The Election Commission’s awareness campaigns too proved effective.”
“Logistically this was the toughest phase for the Commission as it comprised the most difficult terrains of J&K thus in order to ensure smooth polling in various inaccessible areas of the hilly districts, 43 air sorties were done in parts of Kishtwar, Leh, Kargil and Bandipora districts,” the CEO informed.
On the question about threat to boycott polls by the inhabitants of 14 Doda villages in protest against non-disbursement of flood relief and poor road connectivity, he said that the Commission did not have any such reports.
The Chief Electoral Officer said that the constituencies that went to the polls today were spread over seven districts for which as many as 1787 polling stations at 1606 locations were set up. These polling stations included 85 critical and 558 hypersensitive polling booths. PR ratio for this particular phase was 96 percent with network coverage of 92.56 percent. In order to improve the voting experience of the voters 92 model polling stations were established with innovative facilities, he said adding that web casting was done on 159 Polling Stations and 148 digital and 118 video cameras were deployed for transparent voting process.
Narula said that for this particular phase, the Election Commission had deployed 15 General Observers, 7 Expenditure Observers, 3 Police Observers and 2 Awareness Observers while 255 micro observers were also deployed at the polling booths.
123 candidates including seven ministers were in the fray for these 15 constituencies which comprised 1061275 numbers of electors including 558178 male, 503086 female and 11 third gender voters.
In the meanwhile, agencies reports quoted Deputy Election Commissioner Vinod Zutshi addressing media in Delhi, “Polling has gone absolutely peaceful without any incident. It was 100 per cent flawless polls and there was not a single incident which vitiates poll process.”
Polling began at 8 AM in cold wave conditions and ended at 4.00 PM. The voting time had to be extended in several polling stations to allow those voters, who were already inside the polling station premises, to cast their votes. 61 per cent voter turnout was recorded in the 2008 assembly polls for these 15 seats — 6 in Jammu division, 5 in Kashmir Valley and four in Ladakh.
In five Kashmir Valley constituencies, two in Ganderbal district recorded 68 per cent turnout — an increase of 13 per cent from 2008 assembly polls — while three in Bandipora district recorded 70.30 per cent, registering an increase of 11 per cent. This was significant as separatist groups like all the factions of Hurriyat Conference and JKLF besides militant organisations like LeT and HM had called for a boycott of the polls and a general strike as well. In Kargil district, 59 per cent voters cast their votes against 72.90 per cent in 2008 elections.
“Reports of brisk polling in the Valley are very encouraging. Glad to hear turnout in Chenab valley seats also picking up,” Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said, commenting on the early trends of voting. He wished “good luck to all the voters braving the cold weather” and urged them to vote in large numbers and “vote with your hearts.”