SRINAGAR : About 44 per cent voter turnout was recorded during the first six hours in 16 assembly segments of Jammu and Kashmir as people, leaving behind the militant violence during electioneering, came out to exercise their democratic right.
The 16 assembly segments, spread over three districts of Baramulla, Badgam and Pulwama, went to polls in the third leg of five-phased elections in the border state. Authorities had made unprecedented security arrangements and taken about 400 known trouble makers and former militants and supporters of boycott call into preventive custody to ensure, free, fair and peaceful polling.
During the electioneering 26 people, including 11 security personnel and eight militants, were killed in these constituencies, where authorities had set up 1781 polling stations.
Border constituency, Uri, where a fidayeen attack on December 5 left eight Army personnel, including an officer, three policemen and 6 militants dead, witnessed highest 62 per cent voting till 1400 hrs and there were still long queues of voters outside polling stations.
Sopore, home town of hardliner Hurriyat Conference chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani, recorded 23.13 per cent polling, which still was three per cent more than 2008 when total voter turnout was 19.95 per cent.
An official spokesman said till 1400 hrs 43.64 per cent votes were polled in these constitutencies. He said after Uri, where the polling was 62 per cent, Charar-e-Sharief was second with 55.04 per cent followed by Khansahib 54.90 per cent, Gulmarg 54 per cent, Rafiabad 51 per cent, Chadoora 49.84 per cent, Beerwah, from where Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is seeking mandate, 47.98 per cent, Badgam 47.96 per cent, Pattan 47 per cent, Sangrama 45.64 per cent, Rajpora 40.25 per cent, Pampore 36.56 per cent, Baramulla 30.74 per cent and Pulwama 28.59 per cent.
(AGENCIES)
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