Anantnag records highest voter turnout among four districts of South

Anantnag records highest voter turnout among four districts of South

Noorabad among assembly segments

Lok Shaba elections

Saahil Suhail

Srinagar, April 24, 2014: In 3- Anantnag parliamentary constituency, district Anantnag today ranked first in terms of voter turnout as 37.76% of its electorate exercised franchise, while as Noorabad assembly segment of Kulgam district stood first among the assembly segments with a voter turnout of 71.14% up to 6:00pm

Spread on six assembly segments Anantnag-Dooru-Kokernag-shangus-Bijbehara and Phalgam district Anantnag managed to record highest voter turnout while as Pulwama recorded lowest with only 7.54% of its electorate exercised its franchise in the district amid clashes and violence.

Similarly in Shopian besides worst kind of violence and disturbance its 20.43% electorate upto 5:00pm cast their votes. In Kulgam voter turnout upto 6:00pm was recorded 36.68% excluding the migrant and queue percentage.

Despite the fact that voting in Anantnag started on dull note, voters of rural areas of Anantnag district , from 10:00am onwards started coming out and cast their votes  and up to 11:00am 16. 46% exercised their democratic right peacefully, where as in Pulwama only 2.71% come out to cast votes because of the hostile situation.

At 1:00 pm voter turnout of the four districts Anantnag, Kulgam, Pulwama and Shopian were 26.11%, 22.48%, 4. 14%, 12.32 respectively.  At 3:00pm Anantnag recorded 32.17%, Kulgam 30.47%, Pulwama 5.01%, and Shopian 16.80%. In Anantnag district Phalgam Assembly constituency recorded highest voter turnout of 56.28%, Bijbehara 36.11%, Shangus 37.15%, Dooru 44.42%, Kokernag 46% while as Anantnag assembly constituency recorded lowest voter turnout of 18.86% among the six assembly segments of Anantnag constituency.

In Kulgam Noorabad assembly segment recorded highest turnout with almost 71.54% of electorate exercised its democratic right up to 6: pm excluding the queue votes. Kulgam assembly constituency represented by CPI (M) leader M Y Tarigami is the state assembly recorded lowest voter turnout as only 16.69% % Kulgam constituency cast votes up to 6:00pm. In Devsar 40.30% and in HS Bugh only 18.45% registered electorate came out to vote till closing of the polling.

Polling in Pulwama and Shopian assembly segments also remained low due to the violence and disturbance that erupted since the early morning today. In Tral Batgund where militants shot dead three civilians a day before polling no one turned to cast his vote up to 3:00pm.

Enthusiasm among voters was visible in Noorabad, Bijebehara, Phalgam, Kokernag, shungs and Dooru assembly of the Anantnag parliamentary constituency. Clashes in Anantnag town also barred locals to exercise their democratic rights, however the voters of rural belt exercised their democratic right peacefully.

PDP Patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, and party President Mehbooba Mufti cast their vote in their hometown Bijbehara, while as National Conference candidate Mehboob Beigh exercised his democratic right in Sarnal area of Anantnag town.

On the occasion Beigh felt nervous and said that recent civilian killings affected the polls resulted low turnout.

However, Mehbooba Mufti was hopeful to clinch the parliamentary seat which is believed to be a baston of People’s Democratic Party.

During the 12 hours long polling session, voters after exercising their democratic right, again anticipated and hoped that the winning candidate will full fill the promises he made during the election campaign.

“Today I voted and I hope they keep their promises after it, from past experiences what I learnt is that they forget us which is the most injustice with a voter.” Mohd Saleem, 40 years old told early Times.