Voting was held in 6 districts including Srinagar under the second phase (PTI).
The second phase of polling in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir saw over 56 per cent voter turnout. In the second phase, voting was held on Wednesday in 26 assembly seats amid tight security. In this phase too, public enthusiasm was seen and more than 56 percent voting took place. The minimum vote count was 29% in capital Srinagar and over 74% in Riasi. However, the voting percentage this time was slightly lower than in the first phase. In the first phase, more than 61 percent voting took place in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Election Commission said that 54 percent voting was recorded till 5 pm in the second phase of elections in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday. It was then reported around 7 pm that polling in the second phase was peaceful with 56.05 percent voting. Polling was also conducted peacefully at 106 border polling booths along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch and Rajouri districts. Chief Election Commissioner Rajeev Kumar said history is being made here as the electorate of Jammu and Kashmir adopted a democratic process instead of violence and boycott.
Highest polling in Riasi District: Election Officer
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Electoral Officer PK Paul said in Srinagar that the second phase saw 56.05 percent voting. He said that due to ongoing polling in some areas like Hazratbal and Riasi, the voting percentage there is uncertain. So far the voting was peaceful and overall smooth. Sporadic incidents such as arguments, etc. took place during the polling, but no re-polling was required anywhere.
Paul said, “The highest 79.95 per cent polling took place in Sri Mata Vaishnodevi Katra assembly seat of Jammu region and voting is still going on at some polling stations. Reasi district has 3 assembly constituencies and recorded the highest voting percentage of 74.14%. Polling was 73.78% in Poonch district, 69.85% in Rajouri, 62.63% in Ganderbal, 61.31% in Budgam and 29.24% in Srinagar, where voting is still underway at some polling stations. Voting was held for the first time on Shri Mata Vaishnodevi seat.
Srinagar’s Habba Kadal has the lowest turnout
While voting was held in 15 assembly constituencies in the Kashmir Valley. In which the highest 67.70 percent voting was recorded on Khansaheb seat. After this, Kangan seat (ST) saw 67.60 percent polling and Charar-e-Sharif seat 66 percent. However, Habbakadal assembly constituency had the lowest polling of 15.80 per cent till 5 pm. Habbakadal seat falls in the capital Srinagar. Voting was completed at 6 pm.
Meanwhile, during the second phase, a 16-member delegation of foreign guests visited the valley today to witness the voting. This is perhaps the first time that international observers have been allowed to monitor elections in Jammu and Kashmir since the rise of militancy in the Valley. However, former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah strongly criticized the central government’s move and said that elections in Jammu and Kashmir are an internal matter of the country.
Polling in 5 out of 40 seats in the third phase
Elections are being held in 3 phases in the union territory. Voting was held for 24 seats under the first phase on September 18, with a voter turnout of 61.38 percent. In the second phase, polling was held in 26 seats with over 56 percent voting. Now under the third and final phase, 40 seats are going to vote on October 1. Counting of votes will be held on October 8 along with the Haryana assembly elections.
To conduct the elections smoothly, the Election Commission had set up 3,502 polling stations in these areas, including 1,056 urban polling stations and 2,446 rural polling stations. Webcasting (live broadcast over the Internet) was arranged at all the polling stations to maintain transparency in the election.
