High security in militancy-infested distts
* Many booths fall close to LoC with Pak
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Sept 24: Stage is set for second phase of polling in 11 Assembly constituencies in three districts of Jammu division including Rajouri, Poonch and Reasi districts tomorrow with security arrangements in place, polling parties dispatched to the booths along with Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and senior officers taking round of polling stations to ensure smooth voting.
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All three districts are infested by the militancy at present and security arrangements have been made taking this aspect into consideration. Army has already been deployed in mountains for anti-terror operations and to ensure that the terrorists don’t manage to strike while paramilitary forces and police personnel have been posted in large numbers at polling booths and general areas.
“All polling booths have been sanitized well in advance and polling parties reached in most of the polling stations tonight,” the officials said.
A number of polling stations in the border districts of Rajouri and Poonch fall close to the LoC and Contingency Plan is always in place for them though no firing has been reported for past quite some time now.
The ceasefire violation between the two countries has been very rare ever since India and Pakistan renewed the agreement on February 25, 2021.
While Reasi district witnessed a brutal terror attack on a bus ferrying pilgrims from Shiv Khori temple at Teryath village on June 9, resulting in the death of nine persons including seven pilgrims, Rajouri and Poonch districts were rocked by over a dozen major attacks by terrorists since October 2021 claiming the lives of over 35 security personnel and eight civilians.
In the backdrop of the terror incidents in the region, which was otherwise considered clear of terrorism over a decade ago, authorities have made all necessary arrangements to ensure that there is no disruption in the voting. Click here to watch video
The highest 34 candidates are in the fray in the five segments of Rajouri district – Kalakote-Sunderbani, Nowshera, Rajouri (ST), Budhal (ST) and Thannamandi (ST).
This is followed by 25 in three seats in Poonch — Surankote (ST), Poonch-Haveli and Mendhar (ST) and 20 in Reasi district’s Gulabgarh (ST), Reasi and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi segments.
The officials said a comprehensive network of 745 polling stations has been established across Rajouri district which has the highest 4,92,008 electorates including 2,35,786 women and seven transgender voters.
In the Rajouri district, 11 candidates are in the fray Kalakote-Sunderbani; five in Nowshera, eight in Rajouri (ST), four in Budhal (ST) and six in Thannamandi (ST).
As many as 483 polling stations have been set up for a total of 3,52,330 voters, including 1,71,746 women, in Poonch district where eight each candidates are in the fray in Surankote (ST) and Poonch Haveli while nine are contesting in Mendhar (ST).
In Reasi district, seven candidates each are contesting from Reasi and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi seats and six in Gulabgarh (ST).
The district has a total of 2,37,205 registered voters, including 1,12,843 females and three transgender, for whom 436 polling stations have been set up throughout the district, the officials said.
All three districts are high voter turnout districts, with Gulabgarh registering 82.09 per cent, Gool-Arnas 82.58 per cent, Reasi 80.32 per cent, Darhal 82.45 per cent, Nowshera 79.68 per cent, Kalakote 76.66 per cent, Rajouri 76.09 per cent, Mendhar 80.09 per cent, Surankote 76.49, and Poonch-Haveli 76.25 per cent in the 2014 Assembly elections.
The PDP, BJP and the Congress had won three seats each, while the NC got only one seat in the 2014 Assembly elections.
This time, the number of seats are 11 as Thannamandi seat in Rajouri district was newly added following delimitation.
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