With many booths covered by a layer of snow, around 51.51% of the electorate voted in the sixth phase of the District Development Council polls in Jammu & Kashmir on Sunday, braving the chill spurred by the fresh spell of snowfall in the past 24 hours in the Valley.
“People have once again reaffirmed their faith in the democratic system by actively participating in the process under way to strengthen the same. At least 51.51% voter turnout was recorded in J&K, which included 68.56% turnout in the Jammu division and 31.55% turnout in the Kashmir division,” State Election Commissioner (SEC) K.K. Sharma said.
Scores of polling booths were either snowbound or under a veneer of fresh snow in the upper reaches of Bandipora and Kulgam districts, which witnessed 47.66% and 37.74% polling respectively.
“We are used to snow. But it’s for the first time I have voted amidst heavy snow accumulation. My sole aim behind voting was to keep those forces away from occupying power who may prove detrimental to the future of J&K, which is facing its harshest times,” Ghulam Mohiuddin, a voter from Kulgam, said.
In the Kashmir Valley, Ganderbal district recorded the highest polling at 58.45% followed by Kupwara at 51.08%, Baramulla 34.56%, Budgam 30.99% and Anantnag 24.06%.
Two volatile districts of Pulwama and Shopian in south Kashmir, which saw the most number of encounters and killing of local militants in the past two years, saw lower voter turnout at 8.16% and 4.60% respectively.
“Kashmir has witnessed polls after polls in the past 30 years but nothing has changed on the ground. It’s high time that the political aspect of Kashmir is addressed by all the stakeholders for a durable peace,” said a resident of Pulwama, who decided to boycott the voting.
Contrary to the Kashmir Valley, voters in the Jammu division were seen swarming the booths as early as 7.30 a.m.
According to the SEC, Jammu’s Poonch district, which witnessed heavy shelling from Pakistan along the Line of Control on Saturday evening and forced evacuation of civilians into concrete bunkers, recorded the highest turnout of 76.78%.
It was followed by Rajouri at 74.03%, Reasi at 74.02%, Udhampur at 72.04%, Ramban at 71.34%, Jammu at 66.32% and Doda at 62.93%. “The lowest turnout in Jammu division was in Kathua district which recorded 60.95%,” Mr. Sharma said.
J&K saw polling in 31 constituencies of the DDC on Sunday, which included 14 in the Kashmir division and 17 in the Jammu division in the sixth phase. There are eight phases of polling in J&K and the elections will conclude on December 19.
