J&K records 10.22 pc voter turnout in first two hours

Srinagar, Sep 25 (IANS) J&K recorded 10.22 per cent voter turnout till 9 a.m. on Wednesday during the first two hours since the voting process started at 7 a.m. in the six districts.

Election Commission statistics said that overall 10.22 per cent voting was recorded till 9 a.m. Of this, Budgam district recorded 10.91 per cent, Srinagar 4.70 per cent, Ganderbal 12.61 per cent, Poonch 14.41 per cent, Rajouri 12.71 per cent and Reasi 13.37 per cent voter turnout.

Early voting trends indicate that the voter turnout in the second phase could be similar to that seen in the first phase or marginally more or less the same.

Most polling stations in the six districts of UT — Poonch, Rajouri and Reasi in Jammu division and Srinagar, Budgam and Ganderbal in the Valley — wore a festive look.

Security forces drawn from the local police and the CRPF exchanged smiles with the voters as they started pouring out at the polling stations.

A total of 25.78 lakh electors are eligible to exercise franchise in the second phase of J&K elections which started at 7 a.m. and will end at 6 p.m. The Election Commission of India has set up 3,502 polling stations for six districts voting on the day.

Senior politicians, including former J&K Chief Minister and Vice president of National Conference (NC) Omar Abdullah, JKPCC chief Tariq Hameed Karra, BJP J&K president Ravinder Raina, former ministers Ali Mohammad Sagar, Asiya Naqash, Abdur Rahim Rather, Hakim Mohammad Yasin, Choudhary Zulfiqar and J&K Apni Chief, Syed Altaf Bukhari are in the electoral fray.

The NC and Congress are fighting these elections in a pre-poll alliance. NC has fielded candidates in 52 seats while Congress is contesting 31 seats. Two seats, one for the CPI(M) in the Valley and the other for the Panthers Party in the Jammu division have been left uncontested by the NC-Congress alliance.

On five Assembly seats of Sopore in Valley and Banihal, Nagrota, Kishtwar and Doda, the two parties could not reach a consensus and both have fielded candidates in these constituencies to engage in a friendly contest.

Voting for the third and last phase of J&K Assembly polls will be held on October 1 and counting will take place on October 8.

–IANS

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