M A I N   N E W S

J-K defies boycott call, smashes poll record
Clocks all-time high voter turnout of 70% on 15 seats
Arun Joshi
Tribune News Service

Initial estimates put the voting percentage at 70 per cent, with the Sonawari constituency recording over 80 per cent turnout, which was 59.95 per cent in 2008. Chief Electoral Officer Umang Narula said: “In this toughest phase of elections, because of harsh weather and terrain, the voter turnout is likely to go up as polling was still on at 13 polling booths when reports last came in.” With the first phase of polling over, the fate of 123 candidates, including seven ministers, has been sealed in the EVMs. The results would be declared on December 23. In today’s election, there were a total of 10, 61,275 voters spread over the cold desert region of Ladakh, Chenab region and parts of north and central Kashmir.

The voter turnout this time was better than 2008, previously hailed as the best. In 2008, there were a total of 64,61,757 electors of which 39,52,094 voted putting the polling percentage at 61.16 per cent. The 15 Assembly segments that went to polls in seven districts of Bandipore, Ganderbal, Leh, Kargil, Ramban, Kishtwar and Doda recorded a voting percentage of 66.73 per cent in 2008. It was 60.51 per cent in the Lok Sabha elections early this year.

In the Valley, voters in four of five constituencies — Ganderbal, Kangan, Sonawari, Bandipore — turned up in large numbers as they wanted to save their Kashmiri Muslim identity against the BJP’s “Mission 44 plus”. Overwhelming response of voters was also seen in Ladakh’s Leh and Kargil districts and also south of Pir Panjal in six seats of the erstwhile Doda district.