Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, May 20: Thirty two percent migrants cast their votes on 24 Special Polling Stations in Jammu while 55 percent migrants exercised franchise in four Polling Stations of NCR Delhi and 50 percent votes were polled in one Special Polling Station at Udhampur for Baramulla Parliamentary constituency which went to polls in the fifth phase along with 49 constituencies spread over six States and two Union Territories across the country.
Click here to watch video
According to official reports, out of 19910 registered migrant voters in Jammu, 6229 turned up for casting their vote at 24 Special Polling Stations in Jammu which included three Auxiliary Polling Booths also while 122 votes were polled out of total 218 voters registered at NCR Delhi at four Special Polling Booths and 104 votes were cast by migrants out of total 205 votes registered at Udhampur.
Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp
The low turnout has been attributed to scorching Summer heat as well as the continued discrepancies in the voter lists. The rush was seen at polling booths up to afternoon but it suddenly decreased afterwards after the temperature increased as old and infirm voters preferred to stay indoors to avoid heat stroke.
The highest number of 56 percent votes were polled at Middle School Purkhoo where out of total 482 registered electorates 272 turned up to cast their vote. This was followed by two Auxiliary Polling Stations of Government Higher Secondary School Jagti A & B where 51 percent votes were polled. Out of total 1884 votes in these two Polling Booths, 967 people turned up to cast their vote.
Besides, 48 percent votes were cast at Middle School Jagti where out of 1537 registered votes, 747 voters cast their vote. The lowest turnout of three percent was reported from Special Polling Booth at IIM Jammu where out of 229 votes, eight votes were polled.
Officials said that 55 percent voting was recorded at four Special Polling Booths in NCR Delhi where out of 218 registered voters 122 cast their vote while 50 percent polling was recorded at Special Polling Booth at Udhampur in J&K where out of 205 voters, 104 turned up to cast the vote.
However, in view of previous experience when migrants protested against the discrepancies in voter lists and missing of names in the electoral rolls, this time the Election authorities had made special arrangements for the migrant voters to ensure that people whose names were missing in the electoral rolls to be allowed to cast their vote on the basis of voter I cards or previous records.
This Correspondent saw at various Polling Booths the migrants who produced their voter Identity cards or previous electoral records were enrolled as voters at eleventh hour and allowed to cast their vote. This was done to ensure that every bonafide voter should cast his or her vote without any problem. Even the migrants registered at other Polling Booths were allowed to cast their vote at the nearest Polling booth to their residence.
At some Polling Booths, migrant voters who had met serious accidents or were suffering from chronic diseases came on wheel chairs to cast their vote with the help of their family members. Satish Tickoo, who had met an accident some time back and was seriously injured was brought by his brothers on a wheel chair to cast the vote at Camp School Muthi. Another chronic patient was also brought on wheel chair by his relatives to cast the vote at Anuradha Higher Secondary Barnai.
At some Polling Stations there was beeline of voters including men and women waiting for their turn to cast the vote. The rush was seen at two Polling Booths at SKUAST complex Udheywala where scores of voters including men and women were seen in queues waiting for their turn. Same rush was seen in front of Polling Booths at Jagti township also.
However, some Polling Booths wore a deserted look especially after the temperature increased in the afternoon as hardly any voter turned up to cast the vote.
Though the turnout was not on expected lines but there was enthusiasm among the fresh migrant voters who came to vote for the first time in Baramulla constituency.
Ridham Bharti, a first time voter who had come to cast her vote at Polling Booth at Agriculture Complex Udheywala said that she voted for strengthening democratic system of her country by electing a candidate who can come to the expectations of the people and taking the developmental agenda forward.
Another first time voter Yukti Bindroo who had come to cast her vote at Migrant Camp School, TRT Muthi said casting vote is her democratic right and every Indian should exercise this right to elect a Government which can fulfill their aspirations.
She said “Though the candidates of all parties are from Valley and they hardly take interest in settling the problems of the displaced people especially of their rehabilitation in their homeland in Kashmir still I voted to strengthen the democratic system of my country”.
Her views were echoed by Neerja Pandita and Sushila Pandita from Sugam, Kupwara who said that successive public representatives failed to bring an end to their plight and ensure their rehabilitation in homeland Kashmir. They said “Besides strengthening our country we hope that the newly elected MPs would take keen interest in the rehabilitation of displaced people leading an exiled life for over 34 years now”.
Giving details, ARO Migrants, Dr Riyaz Ahmed said that 32 percent over all polling took place on 24 Special Polling Booths in Jammu. He attributed the less percentage of voting to scorching Summer heat saying the rush at Polling Booths up to afternoon was considerably good but it declined later after temperature increased in the afternoon.
He said the authorities had made elaborate arrangements at all 24 Polling Booths for migrants including facilities of to and fro transportation, drinking water etc.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
