Raja Zaid

Srinagar, May 28 (KNS):  With Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat witnessing a voter turnout of 53 percent, the elections on all the five seats in Jammu and Kashmir came to a close. 

According to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Election Officer PK Pole, an overall voter turnout of 58 percent was recorded during the polls. 

The electoral process in Jammu and Kashmir began with Udhampur Lok Sabha seat going to polls on April 19. The constituency saw a poll percentage of 68.27%. There were a total of 12 candidates in the poll fray with BJP and Congress locked in a direct contest. During the second leg of polling held on April 26,  Jammu-Reasi parliamentary constituency went to polls with the seat recording a poll percentage of 72.32%. Here BJP”s Jugal Kishore Sharma, who seeks a third term in parliament is in direct contest with former Congress minister Raman Balla.

On May 13, the Srinagar parliamentary constituency went to polls, recording a 38% voter turnout, the highest since 1996. After the recent delimitation, the constituency was redrawn, with parts of central Kashmir removed and Pulwama and Shopian added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi applauded the voters in Srinagar for this encouraging turnout. The Srinagar seat had 24 candidates, including National Conference candidate Aga Ruhullah and PDP’s Wahid Para.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp ChannelOn May 20, the Baramulla parliamentary constituency also went to the polls, where a 59% voter turnout was recorded, marking another significant moment in the region’s democratic history. The high turnout was attributed to aggressive campaigning by the National Conference, People’s Conference, and AIP. Former J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and JKPC chief Sajad Lone are the main contenders for the Baramulla seat, with independent candidate Engineer Rashid (Ab Rashid Sheikh) also in the fray.

On May 25, the final phase of polling in Jammu and Kashmir witnessed a record-breaking turnout of 53%. Even the militancy-hit Zainapora assembly segment, which saw a 2% turnout in 2019, recorded a poll percentage of 41%. Originally scheduled for May 7, the constituency's election was deferred to May 25 due to representations from some parties, citing inclement weather conditions . After the 2022 delimitation, the boundaries of Anantnag were extended across the Pir Panjal to include Jammu’s Rajouri and Poonch. National Conference’s Mian Altaf Ahmad contested the polls from Anantnag-Rajouri, facing off against PDP president and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti. Apni Party’s Zafar Iqbal Manhas was also among the 20 candidates in the fray.

All eyes are now on June 4 for the election results.(KNS)