Jammu and Kashmir Polls: 70% voting in first phase, up by 9% from last time

Defying separatists' election boycott call and braving cold weather, voters turned out in large numbers today to record over 70% polling without any incident in 15 constituencies in the first of the five- phase polls in Jammu and Kashmir.

Election Commission officials said the poll percentage figures released so far were tentative and that it was likely to go up by 2-3% as voting was going on at some places even after closure of voting at 4 pm. Polling began at 8 am in cold wave conditions.

A 61% voter turnout was recorded in the 2008 Assembly polls for these 15 seats--6 in Jammu division, 5 in Kashmir Valley and four in Ladakh. Today's polling was spread over seven districts. "Polling has gone absolutely peaceful without any incident. It was 100% flawless polls and there was not a single incident which vitiates poll process," Deputy Election Commissioner Vinod Zutshi told reporters in Delhi. Dealing a serious blow to separatist politics, thousands of voters had lined up before polling stations with nearly 10.52 lakh voters being eligible to vote. Separatist groups like all the factions of Hurriyat Conference and JKLF have called for a boycott of the polls and a general strike as well.

A total of 123 candidates including seven ministers were in the fray with the ruling coalition partners National Conference and Congress and the Opposition People's Democratic Party(PDP) and BJP fighting for the spoils.
In five Kashmir Valley constituencies, two in Ganderbal district recorded 68% turnout -- an increase of 13% from 2008 assembly polls -- while three in Bandipora district recorded 70.30%, registering an increase of 11%.

In six seats of Jammu division, two constituencies in Doda district recorded a turn out of 76% while it was 70% each for the four seats in Kishtwar and Ramban districts. While there was increase of 8% in Doda district and nearly 4% in Ramban district, Kishtwar district recorded a drop of over 3%. The four constituencies of Ladakh region, which normally witnesses high voter turnout, marked a decrease in number of voters exercising their franchise.

In two constituencies of Leh district, the turn out was 57%, down from 61.88% in 2008 assembly polls and substantially down from 68.23% registered during the Lok Sabha polls earlier this year. In Kargil district, 59% voters cast their votes against 72.90% in 2008 elections. 

Early morning chill and fog failed to dampen the spirits of the voters who had assembled at the polling stations an hour before the scheduled start of voting. The voting time had to be extended in several polling stations to allow those voters, who were already inside the polling station premises, to cast their votes.