Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Apr 25: Following large scale violence in Anantnag Lok Sabha seat, the Election Commission has declared 324 polling stations in Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency, which is next to go to polls on April 30, as critical and ordered strengthening of security measures further with more deployment of para-military personnel for 1546 polling stations spread over 968 locations.
Official sources told the Excelsior that the Election Commission authorities have ordered deployment of additional para-military forces and police in all polling stations and vulnerable areas to avoid incidents of violence, which were witnessed in Anantnag Lok Sabha seat, which recorded a dismal turnout of 28 per cent.
Official data released by the Election Commission today revealed that a total of 12.31 lakh voters were eligible to exercise their right to franchise in Srinagar Lok Sabha seat on April 30, which was spread over 15 Assembly segments and three districts. The voters included 6.28 lakh males and 5.72 lakh females apart from 30054 migrant and 256 Service voters.
Srinagar Lok Sabha seat is known for recording low turnout. In 2009 Lok Sabha election, polling percentage in the constituency was 25.55 while in 2004 general elections, it was 18.57 and in 1999 it was 11.93.
A total of 14 candidates were in fray for Srinagar Lok Sabha seat. Prominent among them are sitting MP and National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah (Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy), Tariq Hameed Kara, former Finance and Planning Minister (PDP), Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat (Aam Aadmi Party) and Fayaz Ahmed Bhat (BJP).
Other contestants included Mohammad Maqbool Malik (NPP), Mushtaq Shamim (Akhil Bharatiya Muslim League-S), Aga Syed Mohsin, Bashir Mohammad Reshi, Chetan Sharma, Rabia Altaf, Riyaz Ahmad Wani, Abdul Rashid Tantray, Mohammad Shafi Guroo and Mirza Sajad Hussain Beigh (all Independents).
Srinagar Lok Sabha seat was spread over three districts including Ganderbal, Srinagar and Budgam comprising 15 Assembly segments. The Assembly constituencies included Kangan and Ganderbal in Ganderbal district, Hazratbal, Zadibal, Eidgah, Khanyar, Habbakadal, Amirakadal, Sonawar and Batmaloo in Srinagar district, Chadoora, Badgam, Beerwah, Khansahib and Charar-e-Sharief in Budgam district.
Sources said 324 polling stations in Budgam district have been declared as critical. Of total 1546 polling stations, the Election Commission has declared 1021 as hyper sensitive, 470 as sensitive and 55 as normal.
Srinagar district with eight Assembly segment has 804 polling stations, 551 of whom were hyper sensitive, 238 sensitive and 15 normal while Budgam district with five Assembly constituencies has 540 polling stations including 324 hyper sensitive, 176 sensitive and 40 normal. Ganderbal district with just two Assembly segments has 202 polling stations including 146 hyper sensitive and 56 sensitive. No polling station in Ganderbal district has been rated as normal.
In 2009 election, Dr Farooq Abdullah (NC) has polled 1,47,035 votes as against 1,16,793 of his main rival—Moulvi Iftikhar Hussain Ansari of PDP. BJP candidate Avtar Krishen Pandita had managed just 1994 votes.
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