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Valley voters show up in droves for sixth round despite threats
The sixth and penultimate round of balloting to pick a new assembly in Jammu and Kashmir ended peacefully yesterday with about 63 per cent of the electorate turning out to vote despite winter chill and threats from separatist groups.
- IANS
- Published: 23:27 December 17, 2008
Srinagar: The sixth and penultimate round of balloting to pick a new assembly in Jammu and Kashmir ended peacefully yesterday with about 63 per cent of the electorate turning out to vote despite winter chill and threats from separatist groups.
The authorities said the 10-hour exercise went off without trouble in Anantnag and Kulgam districts in the Kashmir Valley and in the districts of Ramban, Doda and Kishtwar in Jammu region. Stray protests against the elections were reported in both regions, however.
Election Commission officials said an estimated 63 per cent of the 1.16 million voters voted yesterday, again defying calls from separatist groups to boycott the polls.
Kashmir Divisional Commissioner Masoud Samoon told reporters in Srinagar that the election was "peaceful" in the Kashmir Valley "except for stray incidents" in Anantnag.
Long queues of enthusiastic voters were seen in most towns across the Jammu region. Although the region is Hindu dominated, even Muslim majority areas saw brisk voting, with women in burqa crowding the polling centres in Doda, Kishtwar and Banihal.
Protests
A total of 65 per cent voted in Jammu region, at least five per cent more than the assembly elections in 2002. The overall percentage for the state was put at 63 per cent.
Some noisy anti-election protests broke out in the south Kashmir constituencies of Anantnag and Kulgam. There were also clashes between the supporters of political parties.
Although the areas that went to the polls yesterday received nightlong rains and were reeling under a bitter winter chill, voting picked up quickly by midday after starting on a dull note.
In Anantnag, former chief minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed is contesting against Mirza Mehboob Beigh, state president of the National Conference who is seeking reelection.
Anantnag saw only 38 percent polling.
Outcome: Azad awaits results
Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Gulam Nabi Azad's fate is dependent on the outcome of the poll held in his Bhaderwah constituency yesterday in the sixth phase of the assembly elections in the state.
Azad had won the seat with a huge margin of 58,000 in a by-election in April 2006. His nearest BJP rival had lost his deposit. This time around, there are 19 candidates in the fray in this constituency.
Azad, a Congress candidate, is safely placed in Bhaderwah although Mohammad Eslam Goni of the National Conference (NC) is expected to give a semblance of a contest.
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