Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, May 6: The voting in Pulwama and Shopian districts of Anantnag Parliamentary constituency remained by and large peaceful amid tight security with voter turnout recorded lowest at 2. 81 percent as in majority of the areas people didn’t vote while in a couple of areas of the twin districts, the voter turnout was better.
The Election Commission had established 695 polling stations across the districts for the smooth conduct of elections. These two districts had 522,530 electors including 271,127 males, 250,735 females, 657 service electors (646 males and 11 females) and 11 transgender voters.
Pulwama district registered the lowest voter turnout of 1.51 per cent followed by Shopian which recorded 2.64 per cent turnout.
The Pulwama Assembly segment in district Pulwama polled 654 votes including 496 males and 158 females out of 84757 votes with a polling percentage of 0.7 percent.
The Rajpora Assembly segment in district Pulwama polled 1572 votes including 655 males and 308 females out of 95546 votes with a polling percentage of 1.6 percent.
The Pampore Assembly segment in district Pulwama polled 4323 votes including 2596 males and 1727 females out of 82164 votes with a polling percentage of 5.26 percent.
The Tral assembly segment in district Pulwama polled 963 votes including 655 males and 308 females out of 88298 votes with a polling percentage of 1.0 percent.
Shopian Assembly segment in district Shopian polled 3507 votes including 2245 males and 1262 females out of 87,674 and voting percentage was recorded at 4.0 percent.
The Assembly segment of Wachi polled 1424 votes including 876 males and 548 females out of 83,542 and voting percentage was recorded at 1.70 percent.
Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Shailendra Kumar said with the completion of the today’s phase, the overall poll percentage of Anantnag constituency has touched 8.76.
With the completion of all five phases of polling today the total percentage of voting in various parliamentary constituencies in the state including Baramulla, Jammu, Srinagar, Udhampur, Anantnag and Ladakh was recorded at 44.51%.
Barring Shadab Karewa in Shopian assembly segment, Sangerwani in Rajpora Assembly segment and Khrew in Pampore Assembly segment witnessed long queues since morning while voters in other areas mostly stayed out of the process.
At Shadab Karewa, Mohammad Ramzan who was in a queue since morning said that he voted for the development of the area. “I am voting for betterment of my area. It is my right and I cast my vote in favour of a better candidate”, he said.
In Khrew area of Pampora constituency, there was much enthusiasm among voters who came in large numbers to cast their ballot. A voter, Reyaz Ahmad said that he is voting for defending the special status of the State. “I don’t want the forces who are threatening to abrogate Article370 to succeed”, he said.
In Malganpora village of Pulwama out of 1897 in two Polling Stations not a single vote was cast. The poll staff was waiting throughout the day for voters to come but no one turned up. In Muran not a single vote was cast as people stayed away from casting their ballot.
There were two grenade and equal number of petrol bomb attacks on polling stations in twin district of Shopian and Pulwama today. However there was no damage. A petrol bomb was thrown at Government Middle School Batnoor in Tral assembly segment and another was thrown at Government High School Boys, Shopian today. In both the attacks, no damage was caused.
A grenade was also hurled on a polling station at Rhomo in district Pulwama and another was thrown at Chatpora Polling Station in Pulwama town. However, the grenades exploded outside the polling stations without causing any damage.
A polling station at High School Qasbayar was set ablaze during the night but the timely intervention saved it from major damage.
Stone pelting on polling stations and the security forces was witnessed at several places during the day. Deputy Superintendent of Police Shafat Hussain was injured at Nadpora in Shopian district in stone pelting. Stone pelting was also reported from several areas of Tral, Parigam Pulwama and Muran Rajpora area today.
And a video from Rajpora segment of Pulwama district went viral on social media where a Congress worker was allegedly beaten up by the PDP workers.
The man identified as Arif Amin, of PDP was spotted thrashing Congress polling agent outside Polling Station No. 113 in Naira Rajpora Pulwama. The clash ended after security forces personnel on duty intervened.
And Congress party alleged that the PDP worker Waheed Ur Rehman Parra who had captured Booth No. 113 at GHSS Naira since morning used muscle power to overthrow polling agents of Congress Party, besides his close associates beat up Congress worker ruthlessly, leaving him grievously injured.
Congress Party has sought re-polling in these Polling Stations and emphasized the Chief Electoral Officer of the State and concerned Returning Officer to order re-poll to ensure free and fair elections. It said the matter has already been reported to Returning Officer for immediate necessary action.
The party also blamed NC Candidate Husnain Masoodi for indulging in bogus voting and sought re-polling at various places in Pampore Assembly segment.
The JKPCC spokesperson has sought re-polling at booth No, 4,5,6,7,8 at BHSS Khrew in Pampore assembly segment. He said that NC candidate Husnain Masoodi, who belongs to Pampore constituency indulged in bogus voting, besides bringing in people in vehicles from different locations to make them cast bogus votes.
“The NC candidate and his son Yawar Masoodi also indulged in fighting with Congress leader and snatched his mobile and threatened of consequences,” spokesperson said.
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