Srinagar: Areas identified for ballot boycotts and terror threats at present have been bustling with electoral exercise. Whether or not it was Pulwama or downtown Srinagar, Kashmir witnessed brisk polling after three a long time.
The Kakpora Polling Station in Pulwama, South Kashmir, as soon as infamous for grenade assaults, firing, and stone pelting throughout previous elections, noticed lengthy traces of individuals ready to forged their votes at present.
This enthusiasm wasn’t confined to at least one polling station however was evident throughout Pulwama and Shopian, areas lengthy thought-about hotbeds of separatist and terrorist actions. Lengthy queues have been noticed in all areas since polling commenced, together with within the villages of outstanding figures like terrorist Riyaz Naiko and Burhan Wani’s hometown of Traal. The message was clear: Kashmiris have begun to belief the electoral course of, recognizing the ability of their vote to handle their grievances.
This election marks the Kashmir valley’s first main electoral occasion because the abrogation of Article 370, and the passion amongst voters is palpable. From Srinagar to Pulwama, many citizens interviewed by ZeeNews expressed numerous motivations, from voting to revive Article 370 to addressing points like statehood, employment, excessive electrical energy payments, and on a regular basis issues. Significantly noteworthy have been the first-time voters, totaling 2 lakh this time, who displayed pleasure and eagerness for change at nearly each polling station visited.
For the primary time in three a long time, the Kashmir valley is experiencing an election comparatively freed from separatist boycotts and violence. Turnout was practically thrice greater than within the 2019 elections, with experiences indicating that even members of the family of some terrorists and separatists in South Kashmir forged their votes.
The voting share within the Kashmir valley has considerably elevated in comparison with earlier elections, reaching above 37.73%. Though polling formally ended at 6 PM, voters remained queued at polling stations, suggesting the whole share might surpass 40%, marking a historic excessive for the Srinagar Parliamentary constituency within the final three a long time.
A comparability between the 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha elections reveals a notable enhance in voter turnout:
– In 2019, the Srinagar Parliamentary constituency, comprising 15 meeting constituencies, witnessed a complete of 11,06,729 voters casting 14.1% of votes.
– In distinction, the 2024 Lok Sabha elections noticed 18 meeting constituencies within the Srinagar parliamentary constituency, with 17,47,810 voters. As of 9 PM, the polling share stood at 36.88%, indicating a major rise in voter participation.
The Srinagar parliamentary constituency is at present witnessing a triangular contest between Nationwide Convention’s Agha Ruhullah Mehdi, PDP’s Waheed-u-Rehman Parra, and Mohammad Ashraf Mir, a candidate from one other social gathering.
Right now’s polling within the Kashmir Valley, carried out amid tight safety, noticed a complete of 17,47,810 voters, together with 8,75,938 male voters, 8,71,808 feminine voters, and 64 third-gender voters. About 2,135 polling stations have been arrange throughout 5 districts: Srinagar, Pulwama, Budgam, Ganderbal, and Shopian.
The elevated voter turnout displays the rising belief of odd Kashmiris within the electoral course of. No matter their causes for voting, Kashmiris, particularly the youth, imagine within the transformative energy of the poll to form their future and amplify their voices within the highest democratic establishment, the Parliament.
