At 58.46%, Jammu and Kashmir sees highest Lok Sabha poll turnout in 35 years

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New Delhi, May 27

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has said that the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) recorded the highest voter turnout in a Lok Sabha poll in the last 35 years.

The poll panel said that the combined voter turnout at the polling stations for the entire union territory with five Lok Sabha seats was 58.46 per cent.

It highlighted that the Kashmir valley witnessed a surge of 30 points in poll participation during the ongoing Lok Sabha elections in comparison to the 2019 General Election.

The three parliamentary constituencies in the Kashmir valley recorded a combined voter turnout of 50.86 per cent, while only 19.16 per cent voters had exercised their franchise in the General Election in 2019.

The three seats in the Valley, Srinagar, Baramulla and Anantnag-Rajouri, registered a turnout of 38.49 per cent, 59.1 per cent and 54.84 per cent, respectively, the highest in 35 years since 1989.

The other two seats in the union territory, Udhampur and Jammu recorded turnouts of 68.27 per cent and 72.22 per cent, respectively, in the current Lok Sabha poll, the ECI added.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission has also indicated that the Assembly poll would be held in the UT soon.

Commenting on the turnout, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said, “The active participation of voters is a positive indicator for Assembly elections, which are to be held soon, so that the democratic process continues to thrive in the union territory.”