The third phase of polling in 17 Assembly constituencies in Jharkhand and 16 in Jammu and Kashmir saw an impressive turnout despite boycott calls and threats of violence.
While Jharkhand saw a voter turnout of 61 per cent, J&K recorded 59 per cent polling. All the constituencies that went to the polls in J&K, including Uri where militants struck last Friday, are located in the Valley.
Though the turnout in J&K was not as impressive as in the first two phases, there was increased participation in areas that traditionally boycott polls.
People in Tral constituency, which saw 37.68 per cent polling, told The-Hindu that the turnout was much better than they expected after the two recent grenade attacks in the area and the frequent sarpanch killings. The constituency had seen 0.8 per cent voting in the Lok Sabha elections, and 48.69 per cent in 2008 Assembly polls.
In Jharkhand, polling was by and large peaceful amid elaborate security arrangements.
The turnout in the third phase was better than the 54.85 per cent during the 2009 Assembly polls. Silli constituency saw the highest polling at 74 per cent, while only 44.44 per cent voted in Ranchi. In 2009, Ranchi had seen a 64.62 per cent turnout.
 | >Phase 2: Jammu and Kashmir records 71 per cent turnoutWhile the Jammu region saw higher polling percentage with Gulabgarh registering 80.73 per cent turnout, Karna saw 75 per cent turnout, Lolab 55 per cent, Kupwara 62 per cent, Handwara 71 per cent and Langate 71 per cent. >Read More... |
>Phase 1: Impressive turnout in J&KDeputy Election Commissioner Vinod Zutshi said that the 71.28 per cent polling recorded in J&K was probably the highest. >Read More... | |
J&K Correspondent Zahid Rafiq adds:
The 16 seats in Jammu and Kashmir that went to polls on Tuesday are located in Baramulla, Budgam and Pulwama districts. The voter turnouts in these segments in the Lok Sabha polls this year and the 2008 Assembly polls were 25.43 per cent and 52.13 per cent respectively.
Sopore saw an increase in the turnout from 19 per cent in 2008 Assembly polls to 30 per cent on Tuesday. The constituency had polled only 1.02 per cent in the recent Lok Sabha elections.
The increased polling in areas like Sopore and Tral is being seen as the people’s reaction to the BJP’s much-hyped entry into the political fray in the Assembly elections in the Valley. The BJP has fielded a Sikh candidate from Tral and, according to sources, the party is banking on more than 6,000 Sikh and migrant voters to clinch the constituency.
“If we did not come out to vote, the BJP’s candidate would have won and we decided to stop the party from winning from here. We are sure that we have defeated their plans,” Majid Zargar, a 36-year-old first-time voter, told The Hindu .
The Chief Election officer informed that in the Baramulla district, Uri recorded 79 per cent turnout, Rafiabad 63 per cent, Sangrama 56.15 per cent, Baramulla 45 per cent, Gulmarg 72 per cent and Pattan 60 per cent. In the five Assembly constituencies of Budgam district, Chadoora recorded 65 per cent turnout, Budgam 70 per cent, Beerwah 74.14 per cent, Khan Sahib 73 per cent and Charar-i-Sharief 82.14 per cent. In Pulwama district, Pampore recorded 46.48 per cent, Pulwama 38.31 per cent and Rajpora 47.06 per cent voter turnout.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s decision to shift to Beerwah added spice to the contest in the constituency and increased people’s participation in the electoral process.
