Names missing in voter lists: Non-migrants
Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, May 25: Over 39 percent Kashmir migrants putting up in Jammu cast their vote in Anantnag -Rajouri Parliamentary constituency which went to polls along with 58 constituencies across the country in sixth phase of polling today, while 49 percent migrant voter turnout was recorded in Udhampur and 53 percent in Delhi NCR.
According to official reports, 39.3 percent migrant voter turnout was recorded in 29 Special Polling Booths in Jammu for Anantnag -Rajouri Parliamentary constituency today while highest number of 53 percent voter turnout was recorded in four special Polling Booths in NCR Delhi and 49.90 percent in one Special Polling Booth established for migrant voters in Udhampur.
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This is the highest turnout of migrant voters in last three phases, officials said. In earlier two phases, 38 percent polling was registered for Srinagar Parliamentary seat in Central Kashmir while 32 percent was recorded for Baramulla -Kupwara Lok Sabha seat in North Kashmir, officials added.
Officials said that 10405 migrants cast their votes in Anantnag-Rajouri Parliamentary seat today out of 26,090 votes which were mapped out by Election authorities after the deletion of M Forms.
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Officials said in Jammu out of 25,250 mapped out votes 9924 votes were polled in 29 Special Polling Booths out of which eight booths were declared as Auxiliary Polling Booths while two were declared as special Polling Booths.
In Udhampur where total 657 migrant votes were mapped out by election authorities, 328 migrant voters turned out to cast their vote today and in four Polling Booths in NCR Delhi 97 votes were polled out of 183, officials said.
Officials said the highest number of 80 percent votes were polled at Polling Booth in Migrant School Purkhoo where out of 406 total votes 328 were polled while the lowest number of 14.72 percent votes were polled at Special Polling Booth B in J&K Board of School Education, Rehari which was followed by 19.54 percent at Polling Booth A at JK BOSE.
Officials said out of 261 votes at Polling Booth A JK BOSE, Rehari 52 votes were polled while 121 votes out of 795 were polled at Polling Booth Number A at JKBOSE.
Officials said highest number of 4029 votes were registered at three Polling Booths of Mixed Higher Secondary School Camp Muthi. Out of them 1350 were registered at Polling Booth One, 1346 on Polling Booth second and 1333 on Polling Booths Third. On these three Polling Booths 27 percent polling was recorded each at two booths while 36 percent was registered on third booth.
The migrant voters had reached at the Polling Booths at various places 10 minutes earlier before polling started at 7am and were seen waiting in queues. At two Polling Booths in Anuradha Higher Secondary School, scores of migrant voters had reached before 7am to cast their vote to avoid the scorching heat of the day.
There was rush at Polling Booths in the morning as people wanted to cast vote as early as possible to avoid scorching heat of the day. A large number of migrant women had also come out of their houses to cast their vote and participate in the democratic process of the country.
Meenakshi a 20 year old girl who cast her vote for first time at Anuradha School Polling Booth said that casting vote is her constitutional right and she wanted to exercise her franchise to strengthen the democratic system of her country.
She said “I hope that more and more people of her community will come to vote this time to extend their support to PM Modi whose vision is to make India Vishaw Guru”.
Same were the views of another first time voter at Nagrota Camp Polling Booth. Reema a student of MBA who had come to cast her vote for the first time said she feels proud to be Indian. “It is a proud moment for me that I have attained the age of participating in the democratic process of my country., I voted for prosperity and development of my country and better future of youth,” she added.
The Eelection authorities at Special Polling Stations had arranged gifts for first time voters as well.
Naresh Pandita who cast his vote first at Polling Station Middle School Chinore early this morning said “Vote is power with which we can change the fate of country and strengthen our democratic system while negating those elements who suggest boycott”.
The authorities had made various facilities for voters. Besides, drinking water, tent and to and fro transport facilities were also provided to voters at various Polling Booths.
To ensure all migrants should exercise their franchise smoothly and without any hindrance, the authorities allowed the voters to cast their vote at the nearby Polling Booth of their residence by filling up supplementary forms. This gesture of authorities was appreciated by voters.
Mohammed Sadiq a Gujjar from Kachwan, Kokernag in Anantnag district who is also a migrant and putting up at Dansal, Nagrota was allowed by the authorities at Migrant Camp Nagrota to cast his vote after filling up supplementary form and producing the supporting documents.
Sadiq said he has cast vote in every election in the past also. He said “Vote has a great value and I can’t miss it. I travelled without taking breakfast from Dansal in the morning to reach Nagrota to cast my vote. He said every Indian should cast his vote to strengthen democracy of the country”.
ARO Migrants, Riaz Ahmed when contacted said that today’s turnout was satisfactory as it was highest as per percentage wise as well as number wise.
He said despite scorching heat the migrants came out of their houses in large numbers to cast their vote which is an encouraging trend.
Meanwhile, many non migrant Kashmiri Pandits expressed their anguish that their names were missing in the voter lists in Kashmir and termed it unfortunate. They said that they remained in Kashmir despite the turmoil and risking their lives but it is unfortunate that our names were missing in the voter lists.
Sarla Ji Tickoo a resident of Mattan who did not migrate to Jammu said that she was not allowed to vote as her name was not in voter list.
She said that she and her other family members putting up in Kashmir were born and brought up in Anantnag district of Kashmir and have Aadhaar and election cards but still they were not allowed to cast their votes at the polling station.
Tickoo and other voters who faced this problem said that they contacted DC Anantnag cum Returning Officer over the issue of missing names from voter lists. “The assurance was given that the matter will be solved but nothing was done”, they said.
“I am native of Mattan and have been born and brought up here. We did not leave our home. I have a voter slip and an election card, and I have cast my vote before. But it is unfortunate that today I am not able to exercise my democratic right. I am sad,” Tickoo said.
“In democracy everybody attaining age of 18 years has right to vote. We are the citizens of this country”, she added.
Deepak Kumar another KP said there are six members in his family but only one was allowed to cast his vote today.
“It is evident what is happening with us., I have ration card, voter card and all other documents., We have faced many hardships to survive here,. If this is the position then the Government should tell us in clear terms so that we can migrate to another place,” said an agitated Deepak.
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