Amidst guns, Kashmir records a 49 per cent turnout in 4th phase

The fourth phase of polling in Jammu and Kashmir ended peacefully on Sunday recording a turnout of 49 per cent, the lowest compared to the earlier three phases.

Chief electoral officer Umang Narula said the highest turnout was recorded in Vijaypur assembly constituency of Samba district while the lowest was recorded in Habakadal assembly constituency of Srinagar district.

Narula said, “In district Srinagar, 28 per cent polling was recorded. In Anantnag 61 per cent polling, Shopian 50 per cent while in Samba district 81 per cent polling was recorded.”

In the fourth phase, 18 constituencies spread over four districts of Srinagar, south Kashmir, Anantnag, Shopian and Samba went to polls for which as many as 1,890 polling stations were set up.

Eight constituencies in the summer capital of Srinagar recorded the lowest turnout while the two constituencies of Samba district recorded the highest poll percentage.  

The separatist boycott call had a visible effect in almost all the constituencies of Srinagar district.

In downtown Srinagar, not many voters came out to cast their vote at polling stations.

At polling station number 46 at Ganderpora Eidgah, only nine out of 686 voters exercised their franchise.

Though authorities had made elaborate security arrangements, yet majority of the voters stayed indoors in most parts of downtown.

The uptown areas, however, saw a relatively better turnout with voters including women queuing up outside the polling booths to cast their votes.

Authorities said polling ended peacefully in all the constituencies on Sunday evening.

Narula said that 182 candidates were in the fray for these 18 assembly constituencies which comprised 14,73,050 electors including 7,67,471 male and 7,05,559 female voters besides 20 third gender voters.

Chief Ministr Omar Abdullah, former chief minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, outgoing speaker Mubarak Gul, ministers Ali Mohammad Sagar, Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed, Ghulam Ahmed Mir were the high profile candidates in the fray in Sunday’s polls.

Omar cast his vote this morning at Burn HallSchool in Sonawar constituency from where he is contesting apart from Beerwah constituency in central Kashmir Budgam district which went to polls in the last phase.