JAMMU : Braving winter chill, nearly 13 per cent of the electorate today exercised their franchise in the first two hours of polling in 20 constituencies in the final phase of elections in Jammu and Kashmir.
“As many as 12.09 percent of voting has been registered in first two hours of polling till 1000 hours in 20 segments of Jammu, Kathua and Rajouri districts”, an official spokesman said.
Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand and four of his cabinet colleagues are among 312 candidates whose fate will be decided in the third phase of polling today in the 20 seats spread across Jammu, Kathua and Rajouri districts.
At many places, voters lined up at polling stations much before the start of the voting time at 8 AM.
Despite cold weather, people were seen marching towards the polling booths and long queues of electorate were seen outside the polling booths to exercise their franchise.
In Bishnah constituency at polling station 27, out of the total 640 votes, 72 have already been cast in the first hour of polling. At polling Station 28, out of 706 votes, 81 have already been cast.
Similarly, in Suchategarh constituency, at polling station 23, out of 1009, 107 have already been cast, whereas, in polling station 28, out of 940 votes, 122 have already been cast during the first hour.
Giving details, the Elections officials said while Akhnoor border constituency in Jammu district witnessed the highest 19.26 per cent of the voters casting their ballot, Rajouri segment registered lowest 4.61 per cent voting.
R S Pura border constituency saw 19 per cent of the electorate exercising their franchise, Nagorta 17 per cent while Raipur Domana saw over 16.69 per cent voters casting their ballot, Chhamb and Suchetgarh polled 16 percent each.
Similarly, Bani recorded 15.22 per cent, Hiranagar 15.02 per cent, Bishnah 14 per cent, Marh 12 percent, Kathua 11.71 per cent, Basholi 11 per cent, Billawar 10.25 and Gandhinagar and Jammu East polled 10 per cent votes.
Besides these, Jammu West and Noushera polled 9 per cent votes followed by 8.50 per cent polling in Darhal and 7.15 per cent in Kalakote.
After a record turnout of voters in the previous four
phases, particularly in Kashmir Valley, there is an expectation of high voter turnout in the seats spread across Jammu, Kathua and Rajouri districts of Jammu region.
As many as 213 candidates, including the Deputy Chief Minister, ministers Sham Lal Sharma, Raman Bhalla, Manohar Lal Sharma, Ajay Sadhotra, former MP and Ministers Lal Singh and Talib Hussain (both BJP) are in the fray.
As many as 18,28,904 eligible voters, comprising 9,59,011 men and 8,69,891 women, are eligible to exercise their franchise at 2,366 polling stations set up across the three border districts.
BJP has high stakes in this phase as it had got 10 seats in 2008 Assembly elections followed by Congress with 5 seats, NC 2, PDP 1 and two seats going to Independents.
“All the measures and arrangements have been put in place for tomorrow’s polls”, Divisional Commissioner, Jammu Division, Shant Manu said.
The Divisional Commissioner said that 400 security companies (40,000 security men) have been deployed for today’s polling apart from regular deployment of police forces.
Security arrangements along the Indo-Pak border have been strengthened in the three border districts of Jammu region with troops put on alert for the polls.
“Security grid along the Indo-Pak border has been put on alert. Multi-tier security has been put in place”, the Divisional Commissioner said.
Deputy Chief Minister and Congress candidate Tara Chand, who won the Chhamb seat in Jammu in 1996, 2002 and 2008 is fighting to retain the seat this time again.
Besides, Congress candidate from Akhnoor and Minister Sham Lal Sharma is looking at scoring a hat-trick.
Another Congress Minister Raman Bhalla is also looking at repeating his victory of 2002 and 2008 in Gandhi Nagar seat.
Congress Minister Manohar Lal Sharma is engaged in a direct fight with BJP at Billawar in Kathua district.While PDP has fielded six sitting MLAs including Wani, it has nominated fresh faces in the three constituencies.
Sitting minister of National Conference Ajay Sadhotra will take on BJP in Marh Assembly segment.
Besides, two-time MP and former minister Lal Singh, who switched sides from Congress to BJP, is contesting from Basholi seat. Similarly, former NC MP Talib Hussain is trying his luck on a BJP ticket from Rajouri segment.
NC candidate for Nagrota Devender Singh Rana, who is close to Omar Abdullah, will face his maiden contest.
The election official said in Bani Assembly constituency 11 candidates are in the fray, in Basohli 12, Kathua 15, Billawar 8, Hiranagar 8, Nagrota 11, Gandhi Nagar 11, Jammu East 9, Jammu West 15, Bishnah 10, R S Pura 11, Suchetgarh 12, Marh 9, Raipur Domana 11, Akhnoor 8, Chhamb 10, Nowshera 11, Darhal 11, Rajouri 13, Kalakote 7. (AGENCIES)
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