Avtar Bhat/ Aadil Latif
JAMMU/Srinagar, Apr 7: As campaigning for Srinagar Lok Sabha seat ended this evening, a keen contest is on cards between National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah and ruling PDP’s Nazir Khan, whose fate will be decided on April 9 by 12,61,397 voters, who were eligible to cast their votes.
The Election Commission of India heaved a sigh of relief this evening as water level started receding in all major rivers and waterlogged areas after which it gave a go ahead for all preparations to conduct smooth and peaceful by-poll to Srinagar Lok Sabha seat on Sunday for which campaigning ended at 7 pm today.
Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Shantmanu told the Excelsior today that all necessary arrangements were being put in place for the voting and there was no threat of any kind of disruptions due to water-logging in the wake of flood.
“Neither the Government nor any other political party or candidates have approached us for deferring the election in the wake of floods,” he said, adding a high level review of the arrangements was discussed this evening with three Deputy Commissioners of Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency.
The CEO said water has been drained out from three district centres while the district administration has assured that four polling stations, which were waterlogged, will be normal by tomorrow morning after draining out of the water.
Moreover, he added, the weather forecast for next two days is also clear and hopefully, voting will be held on Sunday under normal circumstances.
Official sources said 200 additional companies of para-military Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), apart from Jammu and Kashmir Police, Jammu and Kashmir Armed Police have been deployed in adequate numbers at all 1559 polling stations and vulnerable areas of Srinagar Lok Sabha seat to ensure free and fair polling.
Sources said all polling stations of Srinagar Lok Sabha seat have been declared as sensitive and hyper-sensitive.
Srinagar Lok Sabha seat has a total of 9 candidates but it would witness virtually a direct fight between NC president Dr Farooq Abdullah and PDP candidate Nazir Ahmad Khan.
By-election to Srinagar Parliamentary constituency was necessitated after PDP MP Tariq Ahmad Karra quit the party as well as Lok Sabha seat in September last year in protest against what he called “excesses” on 2016 summer unrest protesters. Karra has since joined the Congress and his party is supporting Dr Abdullah on Srinagar seat. In turn, NC is supporting Pradesh Congress chief GA Mir on Anantnag Lok Sabha seat, which will go to polls on April 12.
Farooq had lost Srinagar Lok Sabha seat to Karra in 2014 Lok Sabha elections.
According to Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, Farooq Ahmed, total 1559 polling stations have been set up in Srinagar Parliamentary Constituency. The Constituency comprised of three districts of Srinagar, Budgam and Ganderbal having 15 Assembly segments.
He said these polling booths have been declared either sensitive or hyper sensitive in view of the prevailing situation in the Valley. For manning these polling stations 6236 polling staff has been deployed in the entire constituency, he added.
As Congress and NC are contesting the by elections in alliance, the Congress is supporting NC candidate, Dr Abdullah in Srinagar and NC is supporting Congress candidate G A Mir in Anantnag. Both the parties are contesting against their arch rival PDP in both the constituencies.
However, BJP which is the coalition partner of the PDP has not fielded any candidate from the two Valley constituencies and in turn has extended support to PDP candidates in both the constituencies.
In Anantnag Parliamentary Constituency comprising of Anantnag , Kulgam, Pulwama and Shopian districts with 16 Assembly segments 13,44,924 voters will decide the fate of six candidates on April 12.
However, political parties expect a low turn out in view of poll boycott call given by the separatists and also the experience of previous Lok Sabha elections, hence the migrant voters which are about 70,000 in two Parliamentary constituencies hold key to the elections.
Hence the candidates and leaders of political parties including both Congress and PDP including their migrant cells have not missed any chance to woo migrant voters putting up in Jammu also. Even NC leaders including its Minority Cell office bearers also visited various areas of Jammu to campaign for Dr Abdullah who himself remained busy with campaigning in Kashmir valley.
During the Parliamentary elections in 2014 there was about 18 percent turnout in Srinagar Lok Sabha Constituency while 28 percent voters had turned up to cast their votes in Anantnag Parliamentary Constituency at that time.
For migrants the Government has established 21 polling booths in Jammu including one at Udhampur while four polling booths have been established at Delhi, Zafar Ahmed Banday ARO migrants told Excelsior.
However, despite the hard efforts of the political activists and the authorities only 2192 migrant voters out of 38,278 KP voters have filled up their M Forms for casting their votes in Srinagar Parliamentary Constituency.
Out of three districts of Srinagar Parliamentary Constituency, Srinagar district has highest number of 32,883 migrant voters followed by 3779 in Budgam and 1616 voters in Ganderbal.
The process for filling up of M Forms in Anantnag Lok Sabha Constituency ended yesterday and as per sources about 15,000 migrants have filled up their forms to cast the vote in this Constituency so far. But the clear picture can emerge tomorrow after the authorities can sort out the same, sources said.
The Anantnag Constituency has a total number of 33957 migrant votes. Out of which highest number of 19643 votes are in Anantnag district followed by 5584 in Pulwama, 4690 in Kulgam and 4040 in Shopian district.
DGP Dr S P Vaid while reviewing security arrangements for these polls in a high level meeting at Ganderbal said that coordination among different security forces, security and safety of voters and the people connected with the poll process is of utmost importance for smooth conduct of upcoming by-elections.
The meeting was among others attended by IGP, Kashmir Zone, SJM Gillani, DIG, Central Kashmir Range, GH Bhat SSP Ganderbal Fayaz Ahmad Lone, DySPs and all SHOs of district Ganderbal.
Speaking on the occasion, DGP emphasized that police along with other security agencies should remain vigilant to foil any attempt of the elements bent upon disrupting the democratic process, so that people could exercise their franchise in peaceful atmosphere.
He stressed upon the officers for greater synergy among different forces and agencies deployed for election duties, saying that coordination among security agencies will help to ensure peaceful, free and fair elections.
During the meeting, Dr. Vaid sought information from officers about the arrangements made by the police and other security forces for the safety and security of the voters and the people connected with the poll process. He also stressed for the adequate security for the pooling locations in the district.
Earlier, IGP briefed the DGP regarding security arrangements put in place before the poll, on the poll day and after the polling. He informed that security plans have been fine tuned for smooth conduct of the election.
The Deputy Inspector General of Police, CKR, GH Bhat and SSP Ganderbal Fayaz Ahmad Lone also spoke on the occasion and gave details of man power deployed in Central Kashmir range and in Ganderbal district respectively.
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