Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Dec 3: Giving a major rebuff to United Jehad Council (UJC) and Hizbul Mujahideen supremo Syed Salah-ud-Din, about 32,000 out of 33,540 Panchayat members (nearly 96 per cent) exercised their right to franchise for four seats of Legislative Council from Panchayat quota in the elections held today across the State for the first time in about four decades.
This was for the first time in electoral history of the State that 96 per cent voting was recorded for any election in the State held under Representation of People’s Act, official sources told the Excelsior.
Turnout in Kashmir division was worked out at 97.3 per cent (96.66 per cent for K-1 seat and 98.12 per cent for K-2 constituency) while it was 95 per cent for both J-1 and J-2 seats in Jammu division, sources said.
Division Commissioner, Jammu, Pradeep Gupta, who was Returning Officer for two seats of Jammu division, told the Excelsior tonight that final percentage of the elections for Jammu was 95 per cent for both the seats. The Divisional Commissioner’s office in Kashmir put the voting percentage at 97.3 per cent.
Total percentage for four seats stood at over 96, sources said.
Earlier, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Umang Narula had put the voting percentage at 90 per cent. However, he had stated that the figure was tentative as accurate percentage of the voting was pouring in from some districts.
The massive turnout came despite open threatening letters to Sarpanchs and Panchs across the State to quit their posts, which had been issued in an interview by Salah-ud-Din through a national magazine and posters issued to some of the Panchayat members, forcing a number of them to announce their resignations. The militants had shot dead three Panchayat members in Baramulla district during past few months with a view to force them to resign.
“However, the militants’ writ didn’t run at all. It was the writ of Sarpanchs and Panchs that run from 9 am to 5 pm with a number of polling stations recording 100 per cent turnout in the State’’, sources said.
The impunity with which the militant threats were ignored can be well gauged from the fact that Srinagar district recorded 100 per cent turnout, setting a new record of its kind in the State’s electoral history while Samba district in Jammu division had 98.6 per cent voting and Jammu district 97.02 per cent, sources said. Kargil district accounted for lowest turnout of 65.3 per cent in all 22 districts of the State, the reason for which was attributed to snowfall in upper reaches.
Enthusiasm among the Panchayat members towards the voting, which was being held for the first time after 1974, could be understand from an interesting fact that a woman Panch Nahida Akhter of Manjakote in Rajouri district delivered a baby in District Hospital, Rajouri at 11 am today and cast her vote at Manjakote at 4 pm, SSP Rajouri Mubassir Latifi said.
Voting percentage in all 22 districts stood as Srinagar (100), Budgam (91), Anantnag (95), Kupwara (90), Kulgam (92), Bandipora and Ganderbal (97), Baramulla (88), Pulwama (87), Shopian (92), Leh (93) and Kargil (65), all in Kashmir division, Samba (98.6), Kathua (96), Poonch (97), Jammu (97.02), Rajouri (96.01), Udhampur (93.4), Reasi (95.3), Doda (92), Kishtwar (95.8) and Ramban (95), all in Jammu division.
“There was very good turnout in Baramulla and Sopore, where the militants had targeted Panchayat members. Eighty eight per cent Panchayat members cast their votes in Baramulla district’’, sources said.
Though the Sarpanchs and Panchs turned out in large number to cast their votes, the resentment against the Government loomed large over their faces for virtually no powers to the Panchayats even after the completion of nearly one and a half years of their Constitution.
“We are turning up to cast our votes as we want to give the militants a befitting reply and to show our strength. Though the vote might not be against the Government, yet we have very strong reservations that the present dispensation has rendered us the Sarpanch and Panch worth names only as we have no powers at all’’, said most of the Panchayat members after casting their votes outside the polling booths when asked for their comments by the reporters.
Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Umang Narula told reporters here this evening that 90 percent polling was recorded for four seats of MLCs—two each for Jammu and Kashmir divisions—across the State. However, official sources, tonight revised the figure to 96 per cent.
“The polling was completely peaceful and incident free all across the State’’, Mr Narula said accompanied by Joint Chief Electoral Officer, Harcharan Singh and Deputy Chief Electoral Officer, Charandeep Singh.
He added that the candidates reported about seven to eight complaints of violation of Model Code of Conduct from some places during the campaigning and they were addressed. There was no complaint of serious nature of the MCC violation or any other irregularities during the voting today.
Counting of votes would take place on December 6 at Government Polytechnic College for two seats of Jammu division and Sher-I-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC), Srinagar for two seats of Kashmir division. The votes of Leh and Kargil districts, which fall in Kashmir division, would be counted at district headquarters and conveyed to authorities at SKICC Srinagar for inclusion.
The fate of all major contestants of National Conference-Congress coalition, PDP, BJP, NPP, BSP and Independents was sealed in 298 Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) used for the polling in two divisions.
“Initially, there were 145 polling station but we created four additional polling booths yesterday in Kupwara due to snowfall. Two EVMs were used in each polling station as Sarpanchs and Panchs had to cast two votes each’’, Mr Narula said, adding the EVMs from some snow bound areas like Marwah, Dachchan and Warwan in Kishtwar district and some parts of Kashmir division would be airlifted back tomorrow. In plain areas, the EVMs and polling staff had started returning to deposit the voting machines in strong room.
Electoral College for the four seats comprised 33,540 Sarpanchs and Panchs including 15,628 in Jammu division and 17,912 in Kashmir division. Sources said a total of over 32,000 Panchayat members exercised their right to franchise braving militant threats and Government failure to empower them. However, the Panchayat members were still confident of their empowerment hoping that four MLCs elected by them would raise their voice in the Upper House vociferously.
In the entire State, Samba district accounted for highest turnout of 98.6. Deputy Commissioner, Samba Mubarak Singh told the Excelsior that out of a total of 826 votes, 815 were polled. In Ghagwal block, 138 votes were polled from 139 while in Samba block, 270 votes were cast from 275. In Vijaypur and Purmandal blocks, 286 and 121 votes were polled from 289 and 123 respectively.
In eight blocks of Jammu district, 2373 votes were polled for J-1 constituency and 2366 for J-2 segment out of a total of 2446 voters recording a turnout of 97.02 per cent in J-1 and 96.7 per cent in J-2, Deputy Commissioner, Jammu, Sanjeev Verma said
In Bhalwal block, 256 votes were polled for J-1 and 255 for J-2 from 266 while Satwari block recorded 100 per cent turnout with all 190 Panchayat members exercising their right to vote. In Khour block 279 votes were polled for J-1 and 278 for J-2 from 282 while in Dansal block 261 votes were cast for J-1 and 260 for J-2 out of 263. In Akhnoor, 397 votes were polled from 409 while in March 229 votes were cast from 231. In RS Pura block, 465 votes were polled for J-1 and 463 for J-2 from a total of 482 while in Bishnah, 296 voters exercised their right for J-1 and 294 for J-2 from 321.
In Poonch district, 97 per cent Electoral College turned up for votes. Blocks wise votes polled in the district included Poonch (302/305), Mandi (284/292), Surankote (343/359), Mendhar (448/464), Balakote (123/123) and Bafliaz (177/179).
Rajouri district accounted for 96.01 per cent turnout with 2168 from out of 2258 electorates pressing buttons of the EVMs. Block wise voting in the district included Rajouri (268/277), Nowshera (263/277), Sunderbani (205/211), Kalakote (227/238), Budhal (471/492), Manjakote (221/224), Doongi (123/127), Darhal (155/160) and Thanna Mandi (237/252).
Doda district, which had 1654 votes, recorded 92 per cent turnout. Bhagwa block of Doda had 95 per cent voting, Bhaderwah 88 per cent, Thathri 93 per cent, Ghatt Doda 96 per cent, Marmat 94 per cent, Assar 98 per cent, Gundana 93 per cent and Gandoh 87 per cent.
In Kishtwar district, which had 1942 votes, voting percentage was 95.8 with Kishtwar block accounting for 98 per cent votes, Marwah 89, Drabshalla 98, Warwan 83, Paddar 95, Nagseni 97, Dachchan 85 and Inderwal 97.
Ramban district had 953 votes and, of them, 95 per cent exercised their right to franchise. Banihal block accounted for 95 per cent polling, Ramsu 92 per cent, Ramban 93 per cent and Gool 99 per cent.
DIG Doda-Ramban range Gareeb Dass said voting in all areas remained peaceful with tight security arrangements made by police and para-military. He added that 99 per cent turnout in Gool block was a clear indication that the Sarpanchs and Panchs paid no heed to threats and boycott call of the militants. It may be mentioned here that Gool was once a hub of militancy and three to four militants could still be active there.
In Reasi district, 1092 votes were polled for J-1 and 1095 for J-2 constituencies from a total of 1145 accounting for 95.3 and 95.6 per cent respectively, Deputy Commissioner, Reasi, Nirmal Sharma said.
Voting percentage in Reasi block was 93.5 while it was 94.2 in Mahore, 97.6 in Pouni and 97.9 in Arnas.
In Leh district, 624 votes were polled from a total of 685 recording 91 per cent.
In one of the polling station in RS Pura, 262 out of 263 voters cast their votes. The turnout was 100 per cent as one of the voters had died.
Chief Electoral Officer, Umang Narula said the Election Commission had appointed two IAS officers as Observers (Shant Manu and Atal Duloo). In addition, he said, over 145 micro observers had been appointed, one for each polling station, who were in constant touch with the Election Office here. They reported no report of unfair means or any other irregularities during voting, he added.
To a question that the PDP workers protested at RS Pura and Hiranagar, Mr Narula said they haven’t received any complaint. On reports of some political leaders entering polling stations, he added that they could be either candidates or their polling agents. A PDP handout said that a Cabinet Minister entered polling booth at Hiranagar, which was objected by the PDP and BJP leaders.
Mr Narula said the EVMs and polling staff would be airlifted back from Marwah, Dachchan and Warwan in Kishtwar district, Gurez, Tangdhar, Machal, Keran and Zanskar in Kashmir division tomorrow. EVMs and polling staff from other areas would reach the counting centres tomorrow or a day after for counting on December 6.
To a question on complaint of Model Code of Conduct (MCC) violation by ruling party leaders by holding meetings at Dak Bungalow in Doda, the CEO said the issue was brought to the notice of the Election Commission, which had allowed holding of meetings at Dak Bungalows where there were no other locations provided that such accommodation was provided to all political parties and contestants.
To another question, Mr Narula said, the casting of two votes by the Panchayat members was very much Constitutional as well as part of Jammu and Kashmir’s Representation of People’s Act. The same procedure must have been used in 1974 elections, he said.
To another question of a ‘langar’ set up at Billawar near a polling booth, the CEO said they have sought a factual report from the Deputy Commissioner.
Meanwhile, large queues were witnessed outside the polling stations all across the State as Sarpanchs and Panchs turned up to elect their four representatives to Legislative Council. The Excelsior teams couldn’t find any Sarpanch or Panch, who had cast his/her vote in 1974 polls for four seats of the MLCs from Panchayat quota when they were held last time.
This was for the first time after 1974 that elections were held for four vacancies in the Upper House from Panchayat quota. The elections couldn’t be held in the absence of Panchayats. After 1974, elections to few Panchayats were held in 2001 but they too were dissolved prematurely. Complete elections to the Panchayats were held in June-July 2011 but they were constituted in September 2011.
The Sarpanchs and Panchs were very enthusiastic all over the State especially the women Panchayat members for casting their votes for the first time. Majority of them said they wanted their representatives to raised their voice in the Upper House especially for their empowerment, which had been hanging fire for the past quite sometime.
“The credit goes to National Conference-Congress coalition Government for holding elections to Panchayats but they must also share the blame for not empowering us’’, they said in chorus irrespective of their party affiliation and hoped that the Government would give some power at least so that they could ensure development of their areas and ensure discipline in Government offices and educational institutions etc.
It may be mentioned here that the Government had promised that it would be incorporating major provisions of 73rd amendment of the Constitution of India and in J&K’s Panchayati Raj Act to empower Panchayats. The Government also proposed to hold elections to Block Development Councils (BDCs) after incorporating the provision of reservations to SCs, STs and women and District Development and Planning Boards to complete three tiers of Panchayats.
Meanwhile, police today allegedly restricted media from entering the polling booth at RS Pura for covering ongoing election process of the Legislative Council seats.
A group of journalists from print and electronic media comprising photojournalists this morning were not allowed to cover Legislative Council elections at a booth in R S Pura area by a police team.
“We have been issued authentic identity cards by the Election Commission and despite that, media was not allowed by the police on duty at R S Pura polling station,” a media person said.
He said that the police had violated the election rules adding, “when asked about the reasons of stopping media from covering the election, police officers did not reply and closed the gates keeping media to wait for more than one hour outside the venue.”
The matter however, was brought to the notice of the IGP Jammu Dilbagh Singh and Divisional Commissioner Jammu Pradeep Gupta by the journalists following which SSP Jammu Vijay Singh Sambyal was rushed to the spot.
“The media was later allowed to enter the polling station to cover the elections,” they said while condemning police action on duty.
Police and para-military personnel had made tight security arrangements for the polling at all 149 polling stations with deployment of 27 companies of CRPF and 40 companies of police in the wake of threats to the Panchayat members from militant outfits.
In Kashmir division, Ali Mohammad Dar of National Conference, who happened to be provincial president of the party, was facing face Peer Mohammad Hussain, a former Minister of PDP and Mohammad Iqbal Wani of National Panthers Party (NPP) among others for K-1 seat while Ghulam Nabi Monga of Congress was locked in contest with Yaseer Rishi of PDP, Mohammad Maqbool Malik of NPP and Ashraf Ali of BJP among others.
The BJP has not fielded any candidate for K-1 seat.
In J-1 seat, National Conference and Congress, which were contesting the election in alliance with each other, had fielded Sham Lal Bhagat of Congress, who faced Colonel (Retired) Uttam Singh of BJP, Gurmeet Singh of PDP, Anita Thakur of NPP and Harjeet Kumar of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) besides Independent candidates.
In J-2 seat, Dr Shahnaz Ganai of NC, who is the Alliance candidate, was facing Ved Mahajan of PDP, Rashpal Verma of BJP, Mohammad Rafiq Chandel of NPP and Ram Chand of BSP besides the Independent candidates.
Of total 21 candidates left in fray for Jammu division, 14 were contesting for J-1 seat and seven for J-2 seat.
The National Conference and Congress had fielded two candidates each—one each in Jammu and Kashmir divisions while PDP and NPP are the only political parties, which had fielded candidates on all four seats. BJP had fielded three candidates and BSP two.
A total of 44 candidates had filed nomination papers for four seats including 28 in Jammu division and 16 in Kashmir. Nomination papers of three candidates were rejected while four others had withdrawn in Jammu division leaving 37 candidates in fray including 21 in Jammu division.
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