Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Polls: 20 of 26 seats in phase 2 register lower voter turnout than 2014

At least 20 of the 26 assembly sears that went to polls in the second phase of voting in Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections on Wednesday have registered lower voter turnout when compared with 2014 elections in the erstwhile state.

The approximate voter turnout for all 26 seats spread across 6 districts was 57 per cent according to Election Commission of India data. The turnout for these seats was above 60 per cent in 2014, when the assembly elections were held in Jammu and Kashmir, according to a report in PTI.

The second phase voting covered 15 seats in Kashmir Valley and 11 seats in the Jammu division.

J&K Chief Electoral Officer P K Pole, while giving the data for Wednesday's polling, said an estimated 56.05 per cent voter turnout was recorded in the six districts. The voter turnout app data showed the turnout revised to 57.03 per cent as Thursday morning, however.

The data will be revised again.

Srinagar seats see improved turnout

The six districts – Srinagar, Ganderbal, Budgam, Reasi, Rajouri and Poonch – that voted on Wednesday had 25 seats in 2014. However, the number increased by one seat to 26 districts after the delimitation exercise undertaken in 2022.

Five assembly segments in Srinagar district recorded a higher turnout than the 2014 polls. The rest of the 20 seats in the five other districts recorded a lower voter turnout than the previous elections held in 2014, the PTI report said.

Budgam seat recorded a voter turnout of 51.09 per cent on Wednesday. In 2014, Budgam seat had recorded 66.32 per cent voting. Similarly Chrar-e-Sharief seat recorded 70.26 per cent turnout on Wednesday. It was 82.44 per cent in 2014 assembly elections.

Budhal seat in Jammu recorded 70.14 per cent turnout on Wednesday as against 82.50 per cent in 2014 registering a dip of about 12 per cent.

While Shri Mata Vaishno Devi segment in Reasi district recorded the highest turnout of 80.74 per cent this year, it is still less than 82.68 per cent recorded in 2014 when the constituency was known as Gool Arnas.

Seat-wise turnout

Habbakadal assembly segment in old Srinagar, which has a large migrant voter population, recorded the lowest turnout of 19.8 per cent compared to 21.31 per cent that was registered 10 years ago.

The seat-wise turnout in Jammu division was Gulabgarh (73.49 per cent), Surankote (74.95 per cent), Reasi (72.06 per cent), Nowshera (72 per cent), Kalakote-Sunderbani (68.71 per cent), Poonch-Haveli (74.66 per cent), Rajouri (70.56 per cent), Budhal (70.14), Thannamandi (72.92) and Mendhar (71.6 per cent).

In the Kashmir valley seats, the turnout was Khansahib (72.04 per cent), Kangan (72.18 per cent), Chrar-e-Sharief (70.26 per cennt), Chadoora (57.19 per cent), Ganderbal (56.6 per cent), Beerwah (66.9 per cent), Budgam (51.09 per cent), Hazratbal (32.35 per cent), Khanyar (26.08 per cent), Habbakadal (19.81 per cent), Lal Chowk (32.67 per cent), Channapora (29.5 per cent), Zadibal (30.41 per cent), Central Shalteng (31.83 per cent) and Eidgah (36.95 per cent).

Phase 1 of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections held on September 18 witnessed a voter turnout of61.38 per cent cross 24 seats.

First election in a decade

Jammu and Kashmir is holding its first assembly elections in a decade to elect a government after over six years of Central rule. This is also first assembly election being held after abrogation of Article 370 in the erstwhile state in August 2019.

The third and the last phase of voting will be held on October 1. Votes will be counted on October 8.

(With PTI inputs)