4.2 pc votes polled in final phase, no vote cast at Soura
Sanjeev Pargal/
Fayaz Bukhari
JAMMU/SRINAGAR, Oct 16: A virtual violence free four-phase election process for Urban Local Bodies ended today recording an overall turnout of 35.1 percent in the State with Jammu and Ladakh regions witnessing brisk turnout and Kashmir valley, as usual, accounting for low voting. Significantly, despite high presence of militants in the Valley, the voting remained peaceful barring minor incidents of stone pelting.
The final phase turnout today in which only 37 Wards of Srinagar Municipal Corporation and Ganderbal Municipal Committees in Kashmir went to polls saw 4.2 per cent polling-11.3 percent in Ganderbal and 4 percent in Srinagar. Polling process was completed in first three phases in Jammu region while it was just single phase voting in Ladakh region.
An official statement issued tonight by Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Shaleen Kabra said the cumulative poll percentage in all four phases stood at 35.1
The focus would now shift on counting, which will be held for all Municipal bodies on October 20 from 9 am onwards.
The turnout for the final phase of elections, which was held only for two Municipal bodies in Kashmir, remained low, as usual, at 4.2 per cent.
A total of 35.1 percent people, numbering around 5.97 lakh out of nearly 17 lakh voters exercised their franchise during the entire four-phase electoral process, held amid tight security across all three regions especially in the Valley due to poll boycott calls by separatists and militant outfits. Four mainstream political parties including National Conference, PDP, CPM and BSP had also announced boycott of the elections.
The voting pattern saw polling percentage going down after every phase. The first phase witnessed 56.7 percent polling, which went down to 31.3 percent in second phase, 16.4 percent in third phase and 4.2 percent in fourth and final phase.
After counting on October 20, the Election Commission would undertake uphill task of holding nine-phase Panchayat elections in the State with first notification on October 23.
Giving figures of all four phases of the elections, official sources told the Excelsior that the first phase of polling for civic bodies on October 8 recorded 65 percent voter turnout in Jammu division and 62.1 per cent in Leh and Kargil districts of Ladakh region. The Valley, however, saw meager 8.2 percent electorates casting their votes that day. Polling in Ladakh region was completed in first phase itself. Total percentage was 56.7.
In the second phase of polling on October 10, Jammu region civic bodies went one notch higher, clocking a poll percentage of 78.6 but the Municipal bodies in Kashmir registered a merely 3.4 per cent turnout. Total percentage in the Phase-II stood at 31.3
The third phase was almost a repeat of the second one with Jammu division registering 81.4 percent turnout against a paltry 3.5 per cent poll percentage in Kashmir with overall percentage at 16.4.
In fourth phase today in which voting was held for only two Municipal bodies of Kashmir, 4.2 percent voting was recorded-11.3 percent in Ganderbal Municipal Committee and four percent in Srinagar Municipal Corporation, sources said.
Ganderbal witnessed 11.3 percent polling in 12 Wards where 38 candidates were in fray and Srinagar witnessed 4 percent polling were 24 Wards went to polls today. Re-poll was also held today at Bachidarwaza of Makhdoom Sahab (Ward No: 41) where 5 candidates were in the fray.
SMC Harwan Ward polled 307 votes, Nishat 559, Brane 331, Dalgate 250, Pantha Chowk 1286, Kawdara 115, Hawal 386, Alamgari Bazar 1882 , Gilikadal 290 , Nowshera 29, Lal Bazar 563, Bota Shah Mohalla 87, Umar Colony 23, Jogilankar 25, Kathi Darawaza 162, Lokut Dal 59, Bud Dal 2313, Hazratbal 276, Tarabal 40, Habak 205, no vote was polled in Soura Ward, Buchpora 30, Ahmad Nagar 69, Zakura 179, in Chaterhama there was no contest while Bachidarwaza ward where re-polling was held, polled 262 votes.
Long queues of voters were seen in Dal lake, Zadibal, Bhagwan Pora in Lal Bazar, Mir Behri, Zadibal, Alamgari Bazar, Shalimar and Mukhdoom Sahib areas of Srinagar. However, majority of the polling stations remained deserted and in Soura ward no vote was polled and even a candidate didn’t turn up to cast vote in his favour.
Soura Ward has an electorate of 11,265 and it was first time that no voter turned up in an entire ward to cast ballot. Three candidates were in the fray from Soura. Of the three, including a Kashmiri Pandit contesting on a BJP ticket, one is from Habba Kadal and another from Mujgund areas of the city and they were not eligible to vote from Soura. The third is from the area but did not exercise his franchise.
There were pitched battles between the security forces and protestors in Soura Ward throughout the day. Security forces fired teargas to foil protests but the protesters regrouped and targeted the security forces. The protesters also blocked the roads in the wee hours.
In the evening, the poll staff had narrow escape on the 90 feet road in Soura area and at least six vehicles were damaged.
Of 598 Wards in Kashmir, 231 candidates were elected unopposed while there were no candidates on 181 wards. As compared to this, only eight candidates were elected uncontested in Jammu region.
In the fourth phase, 156 candidates were in the fray for 37 (including one re-poll) Wards of the two Urban Local Bodies, sources said. Authorities had set up 308 polling stations for 2.5 lakh voters in the two Urban Local Bodies today.
For 24 Wards of the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) with a total electorate of 2,41,043,113 candidates were in the fray and 295 polling stations were established for the purpose, they said.
The elections were held under tight security to prevent any disturbance in the poll process. Police and CRPF were deployed heavily in and around the polling stations in Srinagar to prevent any trouble.
The vehicle checking, frisking of pedestrians and area domination was conducted in Srinagar to avert any untoward incident or possible attacks by the militants.
Adequate arrangements were made for the security of the candidates and area domination was conducted to prevent harassment of voters.
Separatist Hurriyat Conference had called for strike in poll bound areas of Srinagar and Ganderbal.
Eight Municipal bodies spanning across six districts – all in Kashmir valley – were scheduled to go to polls in the fourth and final phase of the elections. However, out of the eight, only two went to votes today as there was no contest in the rest of the six bodies, either due to unopposed elections or no nominations received.
The Municipal bodies like Pattan in Baramulla district of North Kashmir, Pampore, Pulwama and Khrew in Pulwama district in South, Shopian Municipal Committee in Shopian district in South and Dooru Verinag in Anantnag district also in South Kashmir saw no voting either because the candidates won unopposed or no nominations were submitted.
Municipal elections, covering 79 Municipal bodies with an electorate of about 17 lakh were held in four phases. A total of 3,372 nominations had been filed for 1145 wards.
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