Kashmir: Polling begins on very dull note in Anantnag

Majority polling stations, particularly in the main town Anantnag, have yet to receive first voter while in the outskirts and villages people, including some women, could be seen moving towards polling stations.

However, the authorities express hope that polling will pick up as the day progress since it is cold outside.

Polling started at 0700 hrs at all the 714 polling stations in the constituency, spread over four districts of Anantnag, Kulgam, Pulwama and Shopian, where 5,29,256 electorate, including 2,57,540 females are eligible to elect their representative from among the 18 candidates, including former chief minister and president of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Mehbooba Mufti, Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief G A Mir, and Justice (Retd) Hasnain Masoodi and BJP Mohammad Yousuf.

Polling conclude at 1600 hrs, two hours before the normal timing elsewhere in the state, where polling continued from 0700 hrs to 1800 hrs. This decision, officials said, was taken for security reasons.

The next two phases in the constituency would be held in Kulgam district on April 29 while on May 6, polling will be held in Shopian and Pulwama districts.

Returning Officer (RO) for Anantnag Parliamentary Constituency (PC), Khalid Jahangir, told UNI that all arrangements, including three-tier security, had been put in place for conducting the elections in secure and peaceful manner.

Assured Minimum Facilities (AMF) for polling stations with regard to power supply, furniture, water supply and other required facilities had been put in place, he said adding the ramp facilities have also been ensured at the polling stations. Webcasting will be made at 28 polling locations in Anantnag district, he said.

“The district has 5,29,256 electorate, including 2,57,540 females, 2102 service electors (including 11 female) and 11 transgender voters. For smooth polling the ECI has setup 714 polling stations in the district,” he said.

He said Kokernag Assembly segment has the highest number of 93,694 voters, including 44,948 females, while Doru has the lowest 78,653 electorate, including 37,889 females.

“Assembly segment Bijbehara has 93,289 voters, including 46,222 females, Shangus 88374 voters (43,010 females), Pahalgam 86,614 (42,498 females) and Anantnag 86,530 (42,973 females),” Mr Jahangir said.

He said the highest 46,222 female voters are in the Assembly segment of Bijbehara.

“Among the assembly segments of Anantnag district, Shangus has a total of 1,031 service electors which is highest in the district,” he added.

Mr Jahangir said besides state police, Central Paramilitary Force (CPMF) personnel in strength had been deployed at polling stations to provide a secure atmosphere to voters to cast their ballots. Besides security forces already engaged in anti militancy operations would be there to prevent any violent incident.