Votes have already polled for
four parliamentary seats In Jammu and Kashmir out of total 6 Lok Sabha seats.
This time the election commission of India made unprecedented security
arrangements for conducting elections in the state, at many sensitive polling
stations there was arrangements for manual videography and also web camera were
installed at other polling where the election officers could keep an eye over
the electioneering process.
In the first phase of election for Jammu-Poonch Lok Sabha Constitutency on 10th
of April, there was a heavy rush of voters on the polling stations especially
the youth voters came out in large number to exercise their right to vast vote
and over all polling was recorded at around 70 percent, the main contest is
believed to be between the BJP, Congress and Peoples Democratic Party though
there are candidates from other political parties as well. From congress 2 times
sitting M.P Sh Madan Lal Sharma and BJP State president and MLA, Nagrota
Constituency Sh. Jugal Kishore Sharma is in the fray and PDP represented by
another heavy weight Yash Paul Sharma. The elections for Jammu- Poonch witnessed
no incident of any poll related violence.
In 2nd phase of election for Udhampur-Kathua-Doda Lok Sabha Constituency, former
minister Sh. Ghulam Nabi Azad of the Congress party is among the contesting
candidates, Dr. Jatinder Singh, member of the national executive of the Bhartiya
Janta Party as doctor by profession is also trying his luck for the first time
in the election. Panther Party Supremo,former MLA and senior advocate of Supreme
Court, Professor Bhim Singh is also in the poll fray for which the voters casted
their votes. Here too voters shown keen interest in democratic process of
electioneering and 69 percent voting is recorded for this Lok Sabha Constituency
. By and large the polling for Udhampur-Kathua-Doda Lok Sabha Constituency on
17th April also went peacefully without any major incident of violence.
In the 3rd phase of election for Anantnag Lok Sabha Seats, on 24/April due to
separatists call of poll boycott and killing of Panchayat members the voting
percentage could not match as was witnessed in first and 2nd phase. Anyhow
daring all the threat calls and showing their faith in democracy around 28
percentage people came out to cast their votes for the Ananatnag parliamentary
constituency , Where Ms. Mehbooba Mufti of PDP is trying her luck. There are
about 12.72 lac registered voters for this lok sabha conitutency.
On 30/April, in fourth phase of election , for Srinagar and Budgam Lok Sabha
Constituency also due to the poll boycott call, incidents of violence and
killings of Panchayat members just a few days ahead of elections for this Lok
Sabha constituency, the people could not make it to the polling booth. In poll
related violence a youth was also killed in Nawakadal area besides several
injured . There were also reports of stone pelting on the election staff members
and also on the security personals. Zadibal, Saffakadal, Rainawari, Gojwara,
Sraf Kadal, Hubakadal, Amirakadal, Batmallo, Soura, Malikpora and Raghpura
assembly constituencies recorded minimum polling in these areas. Total
registered voters in the area are 12.31 lakh , over all polling in the
Srinagar-Budgam Lok Sabha Consitutency was recorded as 26 percent with Srinagar
district recording 11.46 percent polling. Habbakadal constituency recorded
minimum polling whereas Kangan recorded the highest polling percentage 65
percent. Charar-i-Sharif Consitutnecy of Budgam also witnessed record polling of
65 percent other areas of Budgam like Khansahib recorded 32.68, Chadoora, 35.38
and Budgam itself recorded 38.67 percent polls. For Srinagar-Budgam Union
Minister Dr. Farooq Abdullah of Nation Conference, Tariq Hamid Karra of PDP and
Dr. Muzaffar Bhat of Aam Aadmi Party are the front runners for the seat.
For 5th phase of poll for 2 Lok Sabha constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir State
, for Ladakh and Baramula-Kupwara Lok Sabha Constituency, the campaigning ended
on Monday evening, and at many place the minor incidents of scuffles with
political workers of rival parties was noticed in many areas. While the leaders
of all the political parties left no stone unturned in campaigning , Mehbooba
Mufti, Dr. Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, Engineer Abdul
Rashid and other senior leaders of the political parties remained busy in Road
Shows, Rallies, Public Gatherings and door to door campaigning. Total registered
voters for Kupwara constituency is 11.51 lakh including 5.00 lakh female voters.
There are total 1616 Polling stations out of which 1531 marked as sensitive and
hypertensive. The Kupwara Lok Sabha Constituency comprises of total 15
legislative constituencies, out of which 3 are border constituencies where the
security forces have made full arrangements to ensure violence free polling.
Sitting MP of National Conference Sharifudin Shariq, former deputy Chief
Minister and senior leader of PDP, Muzaffar Hussain Beigh and Egineer Abdual
Rashid are the main contenders for this seat.
Expert feel for the 3 seats of Kashmir valley the main contest is between the
regional parties like PDP and national Conference though there are other parties
also in the fray like Peoples Conference, Awami Itihaad Party, Aam Aadmi Party
and others .For one seat of Ladakh Constituency, 4 candidates are in the poll
fray.
Now, the people are anxiously waiting for 16th may the final day when the fate
of the candidates will be decided.