Over 56% turnout in 2nd phase of J&K Assembly polls

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections continued with its second phase of voting on Wednesday, witnessing a peaceful democratic process under stringent security measures. The voter turnout exceeded 56 per cent, showcasing significant civic engagement across 26 constituencies in six districts.

Despite the enthusiasm evident in long queues at polling stations from early morning, particularly in key constituencies, the overall turnout was slightly lower than the 2014 elections. In fact, 20 of the 26 segments saw a marginal decrease in voter participation compared to the previous Assembly polls, which had recorded a 60 per cent turnout.

This second phase follows the first round of voting held on September 18, which saw an estimated 61.38 per cent of eligible voters casting their ballots.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Electoral Officer PK Pole announced a preliminary turnout figure of 56.05 per cent, stating that it might change as polling continued in some areas, including Hazratbal and Reasi. He emphasised that the election proceeded smoothly, with only minor incidents reported.

The highest turnout was recorded in the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi constituency, with 79.95 per cent of registered voters exercising their franchise. Other notable turnout figures included Kangan (71.89 per cent), Gulabgarh (73.49 per cent), and Surankote (75.11 per cent).

The Election Commission had set up 3,502 polling stations across the region, including 1,056 urban and 2,446 rural stations, with a robust security presence to ensure a safe voting environment.Over 15,000 personnel, including local police and central paramilitary forces, were deployed to maintain order at the polling sites.This phase saw a delegation of 16 foreign diplomats, including representatives from the US, Norway, and Singapore, visiting the valley to observe the electoral process.This marked the first instance of international observers being allowed to witness elections in Jammu and Kashmir since the onset of militancy in the region.

The delegation visited multiple polling stations and expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the elections. US Deputy Chief of Mission Jorgan K Andrews described the voting as “healthy and democratic,” noting the enthusiasm of voters after a decade-long pause in the electoral process.“It is great to see the enthusiasm; it’s great to see Kashmiris out (and) voting after a pause for 10 years. We are very excited to see the results. It looks very healthy and very democratic,” Andrews said at a polling station here.The US diplomat said the process here was similar to how it happens in his country.

The Ministry of External Affairs had invited diplomats from 16 countries to observe the exercise.“They (diplomats) expressed overall satisfaction. Our officers explained to them about the overall process including arrangement,” Pole said.

However, the decision to invite foreign diplomats drew criticism from former chief minister Omar Abdullah, who questioned the necessity of foreign oversight in what he termed an internal matter.Members of the visiting delegation appreciated the electoral process, with some diplomats expressing admiration for initiatives like the all-female managed “Pink polling stations.”

The delegation also interacted with local voters, who highlighted concerns about issues such as erratic electricity supply and rising bills. South Korea diplomat Sang Woo Lim liked the idea of Pink polling station, an initiative of the Election Commission where polling stations are managed by all-female staff.

Singapore deputy head of the mission in Delhi Cheng Wei Wei Alice said it was wonderful to be part of the delegation observing the polls here. Alice said the delegates were “very thankful to the MEA for organising this trip and allowing us to visit the polling stations”. The counting of votes is on October 8. with agency inputs