Srinagar: Rejecting election boycott call given by separatists and spurt in terror attacks, fourth phase of the five-phased Legislative Assembly elections in 18 constituencies of Jammu and Kashmir recorded a good voter turnout. Several seats, including Amriakadal which witnessed an increase of over 10 per cent against 2008, recorded a remarkable voter turnout. However, only 16 per cent Kashmiri Pandits exercise their franchise.
Besides taking into preventive custody all separatist leaders and over 600 known trouble makers and former militants and supporters of boycott call, unprecedented security arrangements ensured that voting was by and large peaceful with more that 49 per cent of the eligible electorate coming out to press the EVM buttons in 18 Assembly constituencies.
However, minor incidents of clashes were reported between supporters of rival political parties at some places while two BJP candidates Javed Ahmad Qadri (Shopian) and Hina Bhat (Amira Kadal) were in the limelight for allegedly creating ruckus in polling booths in their respective constituencies.
Chief Electoral Officer Umang Narula said about 49 per cent voters exercised their right to franchise in the fourth phase of Assembly elections across 18 Assembly constituencies of four districts in the state including Srinagar, Anantnag, Shopian and Samba.
He said that Srinagar district recorded 28 per cent polling while 61 per cent exercised their franchise in Anantnag. In Shopian district, 50 per cent polling was recorded while in Samba district 81 per cent voter turnout was witnessed.
Even though the voting percentage of the fourth phase was less than the previous three, but if compared to 2008 Assembly elections, the voter turnout was remarkably high, especially Habbakadal constituency, which in 2008 Assembly elections recorded just 11.62 per cent polling, witnessed an increase of over 10 per cent in the voter turnout. The constituency witnessed a voter turnout of 21.87 per cent.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is trying to make an inroad into Kashmir valley to accomplish its 'Mission 44-plus', is eying Habbakadal seat as more than 15,000 Kashmiri Pandit votes are registered in the constituency. However, there are two other Kashmiri Pandits who are contesting from this seat.
Raman Mattoo, an independent candidate who won the elections in 2002 is considered as a pro-community leader after he took many welfare steps as a minister in Congress-led PDP coalition government. But Mattoo lost the 2008 Assembly elections to National Conference (NC) leader Shamima Firfous, who is seeking re-election for the second time.
Another Kashmiri Pandit candidate in the fray from the constituency is Lok Jan Shakti Party (LJSP) leader Sanjay Saraf, who in the last election was second runner-up with 8 per cent vote share.
Sonwar constituency, which in the last election recorded 39.61 per cent, witnessed a voter turnout of 44.17 per cent. Sonwar is a high profile constituency as Chief Minister and NC working president is trying his luck from this constituency.
Omar, who decided to quit his family political bastion Ganderbal 'fearing a rout' from the seat, will contest from Sonawar constituency. The NC working president is up against BJP candidate Darakshan Andrabi, but many believe it is a straight contest between Omar and PDP candidate Ashraf Mir. Omar is also trying his luck from Beerwah, which went to polls in the third phase on December 9.
However, Anantnag constituency, which in the last Assembly election recorded 41.33 per cent, witnessed a decline of around 4 per cent. Only 38.67 per cent voter came out to exercise their franchise. It is another high profile constituency as PDP patron and former chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed is seeking re-election from Anantnag.
NC's desire to bag this seat was hit after its candidate and senior leader Mehboob Beg withdrew from the contest and offered unconditional support to the PDP patron.
Meanwhile, Zadibal constituency, which in the last election recorded 17.30 per cent polling, witnessed a voter turnout of 23.56 per cent. Even though BJP is counting on Shia votebank to bag Zadibal seat from where they have fielded Neelam Gash, who belongs to the Shia community, the sitting MLA and NC candidate Peer Aafaq Ahmad has a strong following from in this constituency.
Amriakadal constituency witnessed an increase of over 10 per cent in the polling percentage as compared to 2008 Assembly elections. Against 14.98 per cent polling in the last election, Amriakadal seat witnessed a voter turnout of 24.81 per cent. Even though BJP has fielded a candidate Hina Bhat, the main contest is between NC and PDP.
Chief Electoral Officer Narula said Khanyar constituency, which in 2008 elections witnessed a voter turnout of 17.41 per cent, recorded 26.12 per cent polling.
NC veteran and Rural Development Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar is seeking re-election for the sixth time from Khanyar constituency. Sagar is up against former trade union leader and PDP candidate Khursheed Alam. Despite the facts that Sagar has not lost this seat since 1983, it will be an uphill task for him to retain this seat this time following anger against NC government among the people.
Narula said out of 31000 migrant votes, only 5169 voters were polled in all the eight constituencies of the Srinagar district.
Hazratbal constituency recorded 29.36 per cent polling, Eidgah constituency saw a voter turnout of 27.79 per cent, while 24.34 per cent voters came out to exercise their franchise in Batamaloo seat. He said Dooru constituency witnessed 63.94 per cent polling, Kokernag seat recorded 64.90 per cent voter turnout while 67.27 per cent voters came out in Shangus constituency.
As many as 68.53 per cent voters came out to exercise their franchise in Pahalgam constituency while Bijbehara seat saw 53.87 per cent polling.
Meanwhile in two Assembly constituencies of Shopian district - Wachi Assembly constituency recorded 42.66 per cent polling and Shopian Assembly constituency recorded 52.06 per cent voter turnout.
Besides, in two Assembly constituencies of Samba district, Samba (SC) recorded 77 per cent and Vijaypur recorded 81.31 per cent voter turnout.
The Chief Electoral Officer said 18 Assembly constituencies of the state that went to polls today were spread over four districts for which as many as 1890 polling stations were set up.
The CEO also gave out that 182 candidates were in the fray for these 18 Assembly constituencies which comprised 14,73,050 electors including 767471 male and 705559 female voters besides 20 third gender voters
Web casting was done in 155 Polling Stations while as at 48 polling stations digital and at 82 polling stations video cameras were installed to ensure free, fair and smooth conduct of polls, he added.
Narula said that 18 General Observers, 06 Expenditure Observers, 03 Police Observers, 02 Awareness Observer besides 384 micro observers and about 8000 poll officials were deployed for the smooth conduct of polls.
He said elaborate arrangements were made to facilitate voters to exercise their right to franchise in a free and fair atmosphere adding that the polling percentage may increase after consolidation of figures.
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