Lok Sabha polls: Record 53% voting in Anantnag-Rajouri
Mimicking the good stride of voting witnessed in Srinagar and Baramulla parliamentary seats, Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha constituency witnessed over 53% voting on Saturday, the highest since the start of militancy in Kashmir in 1989 and even before that.
Mimicking the good stride of voting witnessed in Srinagar and Baramulla parliamentary seats, Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha constituency witnessed over 53% voting on Saturday, the highest since the start of militancy in Kashmir in 1989 and even before that.
Although, the constituency was changed with additional and deletion of assembly segments, the polling percentage on Saturday was highest in the last about four decades, after 70% in 1984.
“In the sixth phase of elections to Anantnag-Rajouri seat, nearly 53 % polling has taken place, which is highest of past 35 years,” said the chief election officer of J&K, Pandurang K Pole, in a press conference.
He said that overall elections in past five phases saw Baramulla recording 59.10 %, Srinagar 39.0 %, Anantnag-Rajouri 53 %, Udhampur 68.27 % and Jammu 72.22 %.
“In whole J&K, the overall polling percentage has reached 58 % which is the highest turnout of the last 35 years in J&K as well,” he said.
In 2019, a mere 9% polling was recorded while in 2014 the poll percentage was 29 % in the then Anantnag parliamentary seat. In 1996 the percentage was pegged at 50.2. However, after delimitation seven assembly segments of Poonch and Rajouri districts have been included in Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat while five segments of Pulwama and Shopian were excluded.
In the past two elections, the Anantnag Lok Sabha seat had witnessed boycott, protests and stone pelting besides militant-targeted attacks. However, this time voters, both men and women, came out in good numbers to cast their votes. Earlier in the areas which were known for militancy or attack and stayed away from voting also came out to vote.
“I am 35-year-old and first time voting in my life. I want my vote should end atrocities, help release of jailed youths, and provide employment for youth,” said Jasim Ahmad, who owns a business in Qaimoh.
Qaimoh, Arvani and Redwani areas of Kulgam assembly segment villages used to prefer boycott and against voting.
This time, the polling stations wore relaxed look and people were chatting outside booths. “We failed to achieve anything in past three decades and now we have realised only voting will help us,” said Irshad Ahmad Khanday, another youth outside the polling station where around 35 % voters had cast their franchise in four polling booths at 2 pm.
PDP youth president Waheed ur Rehman Parra said, “Voters came out to break their silence which is good for democracy. Even Khudwani village which never used to vote saw good voting turnout.”
Even in Anantnag town that usually used to witness low polling turnout, the voters throughout trickled towards polling stations. “Our vote is for change and development and to save our future,” said Zulfikar Ahmad, who also cast his vote after two decades. “Everyone has realised that only by being part of democracy our issues can be solved,” he said.
PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, who is pitted against Mian Altaf of the National Conference and Zafar Iqbal Manhas of Apni Party in the constituency, held a protest sit-in on road at Bijbehara, Anantnag against alleged arrest of her party agents and workers by police. “Since last night many of our polling agents have been arrested without any reason, so that people don’t come out to vote…This is a conspiracy in which all top administration is involved… why this election drama then,” she alleged. Police, in a statement, said that few people were detained with a tainted past based on inputs of threat to law and order and security on polling day. “Mostly, they are over ground workers and are taken into preventive custody for ensuring a safe and peaceful election,” it said. Mufti ended her protest and cast her vote when a few of her people were released in Bijbehara.
At SRJ Government Model Higher Secondary School in Khanbal, Anantnag, 95 voters out of 837 had cast their vote in the first two hours.
Thirty-four-year-old Javed Ahmad had come out to vote for the first time in life. “My vote is against exploitation. It is for my community. Many youth like me are coming out to vote this time,” said Ahmad, who is a manager in a company.
Nearby was Zahid Ahmad, 28, who wanted to vote so that the situation improves in Kashmir. “After Article 370 move, we are not even able to talk. Whosoever tries to raise an issue, he is detained. We are out for our people,” he said.
However, 55-year-old Abdul Rashid, a labourer, said that life has become difficult for daily wagers like him. “The gas rates have skyrocketed. The electricity is becoming unaffordable. There is no sugar availability at ration depots. The rice quotas have been reduced. Where is the common man supposed to go,” he said.
At Government Boys Middle School, Bona-Dialgam in Anantnag-West, 172 out of 1,175 total voters and 72 out of 779 voters had cast their votes in two polling booths till 9.30 am.
Farooq Ahmad, a retired government employee, said that more people were out voting this time. “Earlier there used to be ‘dabav’ (pressure) to boycott. But now people are voting as their right. They want development,” he said.
Around 21 % of people cast votes at Nathipora in Dooru in the first three hours.
Asif Wani, who is an M Phil student at a university, said that he had come out to vote for the first time after being fed up with the communal rhetoric by many leaders across the country.
Shayaan, 18, a B Tech student, had come out to ensure that ‘our own people administer us’. “Vote decides who will rule us and represent us in Parliament,” he said.
Over 18.36 lakh voters will decide the fate of 20 candidates in Anantnag- Rajouri constituency. The Election Commission of India (ECI) had set up 2,338 polling stations across the constituency with four election staff stationed in every polling station. In total, more than 9,000 polling staff were deployed on duty.
At Government Model higher secondary School, Dooru, Yawar Farooq said that the constitutional and legal changes in J&K led to a lot of harm here. Outside the Larkipora-B polling station, a 21-year-old college student was all aghast against the developments in J&K for the past 5-6 years and even before. “Article 370 was undemocratically removed, the reservations were increased in J&K, domicile certificates were introduced and above all there was nothing substantial in terms of development. Where are the jobs?” he said.
In Anantnag-West at Sahibabad polling station, 18 % people had voted in first five hours.
Peerzada Muzammil, an engineer, said, “Our statehood was snatched away and now there are illegal detentions. Even today many people were arrested. My vote is against that, and I voted for the person who raises a voice against that.”
At Govt Girls High School, Mattan in Shangus-Anatnag East, 149 out of 638 voters and 269 out of 1,227 voters had cast their votes in two polling booths in first 6 hours.
A 40-year-old Bandsaw mill owner said that nobody hears the voice of Kashmiris. “We are feeling suffocated. Whosoever wins will raise our voice in Parliament,” he said.
Till 1 pm, 356 people had votes out of the total 1001 voters at Pethnumbal, Sirigufwara-Bijbehara.
Muzaffar Ahmad, a house painter, had come out to vote for the first time. He said his vote was owing to changed security scenario in Kashmir. Maimoona, a 45-year-old woman at Loisser, Sirigufwara, said that she has come out for the solution of the various issues her village was facing.
In Liver Pahalgam, the voters were voting for development. “Whatever happened in our area is because of the government. So we want a strong government which will work for development and end militancy. We also voted today as we want to see the end of dynastic rule in J&K,” said Majeed Bhat, who also waved towards former legislator and senior BJP leader Sofi Yusuf as he passed through the village.
Around mid-day, half of the registered 1,500 voters had already cast their votes.
“Everybody here knows that BJP supports Apni Party and that is good for development of our area,” a voter said.
