Terror attacks fail to deter Kishtwar voters

Despite recent terror attacks, Kishtwar district of the Jammu division witnessed massive voter turnout on Wednesday. The Inderwal constituency in the district witnessed 80.06 per cent polling till 5 pm.

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Other two constituencies - Kishtwar and Padder-Nagseni - in the district witnessed 80.14 per cent and 76.80 per cent polling, respectively.

Out of the total 24 constituencies across J&K, eight went to polls in Jammu division on Wednesday. The polling percentage in the eight constituencies in three mountainous districts of Jammu division was more as compared to Kashmir division. Several remote areas in these three districts can only be accessed on foot.

In Doda district, Bhaderwah witnessed 65.27 per cent polling, while Doda recorded 71.34 per cent voting. Doda West saw 74.14 per cent turnout. In Ramban constituency, 70.55 per cent voting was recorded, while in Banihal, 68 per cent votes were polled.

Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban districts are collectively called as Chenab Valley.

Interestingly, Doda West and Padder-Nagseni seats were formed after delimitation in 2022 and went to the polls for the first time.

There were long queues of voters in all these districts, which went to the polls in the first phase of elections. All eight seats witnessed multi-cornered contests between BJP, Congress-NC and Independent candidates.

Yusuf Shafi Mir, a resident of Inderwal, said the elections were taking place in J&K after a gap of 10 years. “People are fed up of the bureaucracy and want their own people to run the government. This was the reason that long queues were witnessed at the polling booths in the region. We want a change so that the government listens to us” he said.

The Inderwal constituency, which witnessed maximum voting, has an X-factor in the form of GM Saroori, who is a three-time MLA from the seat. He is a former Congress leader who joined the Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP), but is contesting as an independent this time. Mohd Zafarullah from the Congress and Taraq Hussain Keen from the BJP are other contenders from the seat.

Doda seat also has an AAP candidate Mehraj Malik along with a Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) candidate Abdul Majid Wani. The seat also saw a friendly contest between the NC and Congress. Khalid Najib Suharwardy was contesting on the NC ticket, while Sheikh Riyaz Ahmed was fighting elections from the Congress. This is one of the seats where a five-cornered contest was witnessed as BJP candidate Gajay Singh Rana also holds sway.

From the Banihal constituency, Vikar Rasool Wani was the Congress candidate, while Sajad Shaheen was the NC candidate.

Pandurang K Pole, Chief Electoral Officer, J&K, said there were many remote areas in Kishtwar, Doda and Ramban district from where it takes time for polling parties to return to the reception centres. “It is expected that there will be a marginal rise in the polling percentage after the polling parties are back. There are chances of corrections in the figures,” said the CEO.

Doda and Kishtwar have witnessed several terror attacks and encounters in the past one year. The region was comparatively peaceful, but it has now become a concern for security forces.

80% polling in Inderwal constituency

• Inderwal constituency in the district witnessed 80.06 per cent polling till 5 pm on Wednesday.
• Other two constituencies — Kishtwar and Padder-Nagseni — in the district witnessed 80.14 per cent and 76.80 per cent polling, respectively.
• In Doda district, Bhaderwah witnessed 65.27 per cent polling, while Doda recorded 71.34 per cent voting. Doda West saw 74.14 per cent turnout. In Ramban constituency, 70.55 per cent voting was recorded, while in Banihal, 68 per cent votes were polled.