Series of measures to ensure good turnout in Valley
*Security agencies asked to take CBMs ahead of polls
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Mar 19: With a view to ensure free, fair, transparent and terror-free polling in the Union Territory, the Election Authority has declared maximum parts of Kashmir as `Vulnerable Areas’ prompting the administration and security agencies to initiate series of measures to boost turnout in the Valley which has been witnessing lower percentage since outbreak of militancy nearly three and half decades back.
Similarly, the Vulnerability Mapping of Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu division is on and a decision on declaration of Vulnerable Areas and Critical Polling Stations will be taken shortly.
Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Jammu and Kashmir PK Pole told the Excelsior today that maximum parts of the Kashmir valley have been declared as Vulnerable Areas after an exhaustive exercise conducted by the Authorities.
“We have asked local police to take Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) like march past in vulnerable areas, Cordon and Search Operations (CASO), strengthening of nakas, regular meetings of police officers and taking all other measures along with security agencies which will ensure healthy security environment for voting in the Kashmir Valley and other parts declared as Vulnerable Areas,” Pole said.
He said the Election Authority undertook comprehensive survey named `KAP’ (Know, Aptitude, Practices) which used both primary and secondary datas to diagnose reasons behind low turnout.
“The findings showed that voters turnout in previous elections was averaged 60-65 percent in Jammu division which is good. However, it was 25-30 percent in Kashmir. The turnout was normal in North Kashmir between 50 to 55 percent but was less in Central Kashmir and further down in South Kashmir. Based on the survey findings, a series of measures have been taken to ensure good turnout,” the CEO J&K, said.
While security is the primary concern, other grounds were also examined like less enthusiasm among women, school and college students and Nomads etc. ASHA and Anganwari workers and the women running Self Help Groups (SHGs) will be involved to encourage women for voting by the Election Authority.
The Election Commission has, however, dispensed with the terminology of declaring Polling Stations as Hyper Sensitive, Sensitive and Normal and brought-in the method of Vulnerable Areas and Critical Polling Stations to ensure better turnout and keep the militants, anti-national elements and miscreants at bay.
The new methods are aimed at not only ensuring healthy turnout during the Parliamentary elections but also ensuring free, fair, transparent and terror-free elections. Once the fear in the minds of the people is over, they will automatically turn out to cast their votes, the officials said.
With a view to ensure that the youths eligible for casting votes are not left out, the Election Authority has already ordered that youths turning 18 on April 1 and July 1, 2024 can enrol themselves as voters.
However, the youth turning 18 on or before April 1, 2024 will be eligible to cast their votes in the upcoming Parliamentary elections while those who will turn 18 on July 1 will be able to exercise their right to franchise in the future polls.
Taking into account security concerns of Jammu and Kashmir, the Election Commission has already approved 635 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) for Lok Sabha elections in the Union Territory.
As per the officials, the additional companies of paramilitary forces have started arriving in the Union Territory and most of the companies will reach here by the end of this month.
The companies, according to the sources, will be deployed for advanced security measures in Vulnerable Areas of Jammu and Kashmir to ensure that the militants don’t manage to create any kind of fear among the people which could refrain them from casting their votes.
Udhampur-Doda Parliamentary constituency will go to votes in first phase on April 19 followed by Jammu-Reasi seat which will have polling in second phase on April 26. Anantnag-Poonch-Rajouri (APR) seat will vote in third phase on May 7.
Srinagar Parliamentary seat is scheduled to witness the battle of ballots in fourth phase on May 13 while Baramulla seat will have polling in fifth phase on May 20.
Lone Parliamentary seat in the Union Territory of Ladakh will go to polling in fifth phase along with Baramulla constituency on May 20. Ladakh was part of erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir in 2019 Parliamentary polls.
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