Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Feb 21: It may sound incredible but is true that when the number of electorates in the State, including Kashmir valley, is showing increase since the last one decade, a reverse of same is being registered in various constituencies of Jammu as well as Ladakh regions.
Fourteen Assembly constituencies in Jammu and Ladakh have registered a decrease in the number of electors in comparison to the figures of 2002 while the increase in remaining segments, except a few, is almost negligible.
However, on the other hand, all the Assembly constituencies in Kashmir valley, except three in Srinagar district, have shown considerable increase in the number of registered electors. In several Assembly segments of Valley, the increase is more than 25 per cent and even above 40 per cent in a few constituencies.
According to the official figures, both Jammu-East and Jammu-West Assembly constituencies have registered a considerable decrease in the number of electors since 2002.
In comparison to the 87332 voters registered in 2002 in Jammu-East, the number has shockingly decreased to 53335 in 2014 while in Jammu-West, there is a decrease in the number of voters from 163689 in 2002 to 149056 in 2014.
More surprising is the fact that even within months from 2013 to 2014, the number of voters in Jammu- East as well as Jammu- West, has decreased from 55358 to 53325 and 151889 to 149056, respectively.
The Gandhinagar Assembly constituency in Jammu is also registering a decrease in the number of voters from 2013 to 2014 even as there was a slight increase from 2002. The number of electors in this Assembly segments was 153334 in 2002, 143629 in 2008, 161640 in 2013 and 160157 in 2014.
The other Assembly segments in Jammu province, which have registered a decrease in the number of voters from 2002 to 2013, include Kishtwar, Gulabgarh, Nowshera, Darhal, Rajouri, Kalakote, Surankote and Mendhar.
Except a few, the Jammu constituencies where the number of voters has registered a growth, the increase is almost negligible. For example in Udhampur, Reasi, Gool-Arnas, Bani, Kathua, R S Pura, Marh, Poonch-Haveli and some other Constituencies, the increase in voters is around one percent.
In Ladakh, all the four constituencies except Nobra, have registered a decrease in the number of voters since 2002. In 2002, the registered voters in Leh, Kargil and Zanskar were 74471, 64646 and 222792, respectively, whose number decreased to 70100, 60169 and 21022, respectively in 2014.
In comparison, all the 46 seats in Kashmir valley, except Idgah, Khanyar and Habbakdal, the number of registered electors has significantly increased since 2002.
In constituencies like Langate, Sopore, Sangrama, Gulmarg, Bandipora, Chadora, Badgam, Khansahib, Tral, Pampore, Pulwama, Rajpora, Wachi, Shopian, Kokernag, Shangas, Bijbehara, Pahalgam, Kulgam, Homshalibagh and Devsar, the increase in number of voters is from 20 per cent to above 40 per cent.
As per the official data, total number of registered electorates in Jammu and Kashmir State was 6165108 in 2002, 6461757 in 2008, 6881226 in 2013 and 6991397 in 2014.
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