Unprecedented turnout in J&K: Over 70% vote in first phase of polls

Calls from separatists to boycott polls and even a blast at a polling booth were not enough to deter voters in the first phase of state assembly elections in Jammu & Kashmir. Addressing a media conference, the Election Commission said that given the length of the queues at polling booths, they did not have the final numbers as yet, but added that the state turnout so far had crossed 70 percent. Officials told media that the number was certain to rise by at least two percentage points. [caption id=“attachment_1821295” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Sameer yasir/Firstpost[/caption] This is a huge increase from the 64.97 percent voter turnout that the same districts recorded in the last vidan sabha elections, officials added. Firstpost reporter Sameer Yasir, who was in the former militant stronghold of Bandipore, said that freezing cold and even an explosion behind a polling booth did not deter voters. Many of them, he noted, had come to vote for ‘change’. We are here to vote for change," Abdul Rashid Shah, a resident of Bandipora town, told Yasir.“Even if we boycott polls, it won’t stop the government formation. So why not vote for an honest person and let him take charge of our grievances.” A spokesman for the BJP told the Times Now channel that the high turnout was a fitting reply by the people to militants and Pakistan sponsored terrorists, and was a triumph for democracy. “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,” Deputy Election Commissioner Vinod Zutshi told reporters in Delhi. Dealing a serious blow to separatist politics, thousands of voters had lined up before polling stations with nearly 10.52 lakh voters being eligible to vote. Separatist groups like all the factions of Hurriyat Conference and JKLF have called for a boycott of the polls and a general strike as well. A total of 123 candidates including seven ministers were in the fray with the ruling coalition partners National Conference and Congress and the Opposition People’s Democratic Party(PDP) and BJP fighting for the spoils. 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. In six seats of Jammu division, two constituencies in Doda district recorded a turn out of 76 per cent while it was 70 per cent each for the four seats in Kishtwar and Ramban districts. While there was increase of eight per cent in Doda district and nearly four per cent in Ramban district, Kishtwar district recorded a drop of over three per cent. The four constituencies of Ladakh region, which normally witnesses high voter turnout, marked a decrease in number of voters exercising their franchise. In two constituencies of Leh district, the turn out was 57 per cent, down from 61.88 per cent in 2008 assembly polls and substantially down from 68.23 per cent registered during the Lok Sabha polls earlier this year. In Kargil district, 59 per cent voters cast their votes against 72.90 per cent in 2008 elections. Early morning chill and fog failed to dampen the spirits of the voters who had assembled at the polling stations an hour before the scheduled start of voting. 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. Serpentine queues of voters could be seen at most of the polling stations even in the five assembly constituencies of Kashmir Valley, where the turn out used to be usually lower than in the segments in Jammu division owing the boycott call by the separatists. “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”. The lack of effect of the boycott call was evident from the fact that long queues could be seen even at polling stations where the separatists had posted their anti-election material. Militants hurled grenades at two polling stations in Bandipora and Sonawari constituencies. The attacks failed to have any effect on the polling process as no one was hurt in the twin attacks while the voters stayed put to exercise their franchise. A minor clash broke out between supporters of ruling National Conference and opposition PDP at a polling station in Baroosa area of Ganderbal constituency. One person sustained minor injuries but security personnel restored order and polling went on smoothly thereafter. While most of the old timers turned up to vote based on their ideological affiliations, development and unemployment was the key issue for the first time voters. “We want development in our constituency. We are not very far from either Srinagar (the summer capital of the state) or Bandipora district headquarter but we seem to be living in dark ages,” Farhat Jabeen, an 18-year-old voter from Sonawari constituency, said. Abdul Majid, another first time voter, said unemployment was the biggest problem of the area. “We have not seen any one from our area get jobs in our area. We want change and we hope the new dispensation will grant us our wish,” he added. Abdul Gaffar, a 60 year-old, however maintained that the area had not lacked on development front. “We have seen the area change over the past six years and would want to continue it,” he said. With inputs from PTI