Budgam, Ganderbal see lower voter turnout as compared to ’14

Two of three districts that went to the polls in the Valley on Wednesday saw lesser voter turnout as compared to the 2014 Assembly elections.

Ganderbal, Srinagar and Budgam districts in the Valley comprising 15 Assembly segments went to the polls on Wednesday.

J&K Chief Electoral Officer PK Pole said Budgam district saw 62.98 per cent polling, Ganderbal 60.55 per cent and Srinagar 29.51 per cent on Wednesday.

In the 2014 Assembly elections, Budgam district witnessed 73.11 per cent polling, Ganderbal 67.21 per cent and Srinagar 27.77 per cent.

According to poll officials, the Khan Sahab Assembly segment in Budgam district witnessed the highest turnout (71.66%) today. In 2014, the constituency witnessed 81 per cent voting.

As many as 71.89 per cent voters cast their ballot in the Kangan Assembly segment in Ganderbal district on Wednesday. In 2014 Assembly polls, the assembly segment recorded 79 per cent polling.

Srinagar district, however, witnessed a marginal increase in the number of voters as compared to the 2014 polls.

The highest turnout (36.93%) was recorded in the Eidgah Assembly segment. However, in 2014 Assembly polls, the turnout was 28 per cent.

While Srinagar saw a marginal increase, the Habba Kadal Assembly segment didn’t see any major change in voter turnout. As many as 18.39 per cent voters cast their ballot on Wednesday. In the 2014 polls, the segment had witnessed 21 per cent polling.

The Habba Kadal segment today saw better turnout in comparison to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, when it witnessed only 14.05% voters.

The voter turnout in the 14 out of 15 Assembly segments that went to polls on Wednesday was, however, better than the recently held Lok Sabha elections.

“I realised that we shouldn’t waste our vote. People are facing a lot of problems and it is important to have own elected candidate,” said Waheed Ahmad, who was in jail on the charge of stone pelting. Waheed, who was recently released from the jail, said he voted for the first time on Wednesday in Budgam’s Aripanthan, which falls under Beerwah segment.

Omar opposes foreign diplomats’ visit

Srinagar: As foreign diplomats reached Srinagar to witness the second phase of elections in the Valley, former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah criticised the move saying the elections were an internal matter. “I don’t know why foreigners should be asked to check elections here,” Omar said. A high-level delegation of senior diplomats from several countries travelled ‘to Kashmir to witness the ongoing Assembly elections’ On Wednesday morning. — OC