LIVE | J&K Assembly polls final phase: Turnout may surpass LS poll figures
The voter turnout in Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the ongoing Assembly polls in the Union Territory was also higher than in the Lok Sabha elections.
The third and final phase of Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday (October 1) saw a turnout of 65.48 per cent till 5 pm, which is likely to surpass the Lok Sabha poll turnout in the corresponding seven districts, according to latest data available.
In the recently-held parliamentary polls, the turnout in these districts was recorded at 66.78 per cent. The voter turnout in Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the ongoing Assembly polls in the Union Territory was also higher than in the Lok Sabha elections.
While seven districts in Phase 1 recorded 61.38 per cent turnout in these assembly elections, it was 60 per cent in the general elections.
Similarly, six districts that went to polls in Phase 2 of the Assembly polls recorded 57.31 per cent polling as compared to 52.17 per cent turnout in the Lok Sabha polls, according to available data.
Baramulla, Sopore shun boycott
The three border districts of Kashmir -- Baramulla, Bandipora and Kupwara -- registered a voter turnout of 60 per cent with traditional boycott bastions of Sopore and Baramulla towns witnessing the highest turnout in an election in the last three decades.
However, the turnout in the 16 Assembly segments of these three districts on Tuesday was nearly 5 per cent less than what was recorded in the 2014 Assembly polls.
The third and final phase of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly polls was held on Tuesday. The polling in the 40 Assembly segments across seven districts, including the winter capital Jammu, began at 7 am and concluded at 6 pm. The votes will be counted on October 8.
Turnout more than 2014 polls
According to the election commission data, Sopore town, which was once a hotbed of separatism and militancy, witnessed a turnout of 41.44 per cent -- 11 per cent more than the 2014 Assembly polls.
In the Baramulla Assembly seat, nearly 48 per cent of voters exercised their franchise. The turnout in this election was 8 per cent more than in 2014.
The Pattan Assembly segment also registered a higher voter turnout compared to 2014 as nearly 61 per cent electorate cast their votes.
One of the key factors attributed to the higher voter turnout in Sopore was the presence of Aijaz Guru, the brother of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, as a contestant.
In Baramulla, too, Jamaat-e-Islami-backed independent candidate Abdul Rehman Shalla entering the fray seems to have had a positive effect on the voter turnout
Also read: As NC hopes for J&K victory, ominous signs for Abdullahs
Drop in poll percentage
However, some of the constituencies which had seen high voter turnout in the Assembly elections 10 years ago, saw a drop in percentage.
Among the areas that saw a substantial dip were Lok Sabha member Sheikh Abdul Rashid's native Langate segment and Kupwara and Handwara segments, the two seats where People's Conference president Sajad Lone is contesting.
Border constituencies of Uri and Karnah also saw more than a 10 per cent dip in the turnout. While 82.85 per cent of voters had cast their votes in Uri in 2014, the number fell to 64.81 per cent this time.
Sonawari segment in Bandipora district also saw a dip of around 15 per cent -- from 80.77 per cent in 2014 to 65.56 per cent this time.
Election officials said the turnout figures could go slightly up as data was still being collected from some of the remote polling stations.
While the campaign for the third phase of polling was intense, the voting passed off peacefully with no major incident reported from anywhere.
(With agency inputs)
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West Pakistan refugees, Valmikis, Gorkhas to vote for first time
Tuesday marks a “red-letter day” for the West Pakistan refugees, Valmikis, and Gorkha communities, who have lived as “unwanted citizens” for over seven decades in Jammu and Kashmir.
These communities are eager to cast their votes in the ongoing assembly elections for the first time in history. This marks a monumental moment for many who have long lacked political representation.
Comprising over 1.5 lakh people residing in various areas of Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts, particularly in the border regions, members of these three communities are entering the electoral process to elect MLAs. Unlike in the past, candidates are now actively engaging with the areas in which they live.
According to records, 5,764 families of West Pakistan Refugees, commonly known as WPRs, settled in various parts of Jammu in 1947. Presently, the number of West Pakistan refugees has increased to over 22,000 families, totalling about two lakh individuals.
Ahead of the voting day, West Pakistan refugees celebrated by exchanging sweets in Chakra and Chabay Chak in Samba and Jammu districts.
Following the abrogation of Article 370 and 35A, these communities have gained citizenship in J&K, along with all associated rights such as voting, employment, professional education and land ownership. In July, the J&K administration decided to grant proprietary rights of state land allocated to WPR families during their resettlement after the 1947 migration.
In addition to WPRs, the Valmikis (Dalits), brought to J&K in 1957 from Punjab’s Gurdaspur district for sanitation work by the then-state government, will also be voting for the first time in Tuesday’s assembly elections.
Approximately 12,000 members residing in Gandhi Nagar and Dogra Hall areas, living in substandard conditions, were previously deprived of voting rights, educational opportunities, job opportunities and land ownership due to the absence of a state subject certificate.
With the scrapping of Article 370, both WPRs and Valmikis can now purchase land, apply for jobs in J&K and even contest elections. The Valmikis can now pursue alternative occupations as well.
Similarly, the Gorkha community in Gorkha Nagar is also brimming with excitement, as they, like the WPRs and Valmikis, prepare to exercise their franchise in the assembly elections for the first time.
Their ancestors migrated from Nepal to Jammu and Kashmir decades ago to serve alongside the former Dogra Army. Even today, most families boast at least one war veteran.
More than 2,000 Gorkha community members reside in this colony, where houses are closely spaced and connected by narrow lanes.
