Voters standing in a queue in Srinagar to cast their vote
In 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Srinagar district recorded just 7.7 per cent voting, with the overall voting percentage in the Srinagar Lok Sabha segment recorded at 14 per cent. In unprecedented voting not witnessed for over 30 years, voting had already crossed 15 per cent by 11 am, with seven more hours of polling remaining.
Other things apart, the voting percentage in the fourth round in Srinagar Lok Sabha seat is going to break records for the past 30 years or more. This became clear by 11 am after four hours of polling, as it had crossed the 15 per cent mark by that time. What is so significant about a 15 per cent vote being recorded in four hours? Well, in 2019, the overall voting percentage in Srinagar constituency was an abysmal 14.1 per cent only. That means this mark had been crossed within first four hours of voting with seven hours of voting remaining!
National Conference (NC) president Dr Farooq Abdullah is the sitting MP but he is not contesting this time. Historically, low polling percentage had always helped the NC but it is not clear who will gain from the historically high polling percentage this time.
Incidentally, the atmosphere of fear and violence by terrorists kept everyone on tenterhooks earlier on such occasions. The days of campaigning, voting, or the visit of a dignitary to Jammu & Kashmir. Whether it was the visit of an important Union minister, Prime Minister or the President, expecting violence and disruption by terrorists was considered the norm. Not any more, as the violence levels have come down significantly since the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019.
This fact, for a change, was acknowledged by a PDP candidate from Srinagar, Wahid Para, who said after casting his vote that the levels of violence have come down in recent years. Para’s main rival in Srinagar is National Conference (NC) candidate Aga Ruhullah, whose father was gunned down by terrorists in November 2002. Lurking fear of violence, hartal calls on voting day, and such other activities of separatists have been buried.
In 2019, there were 15 assembly segments falling under the Srinagar Lok Sabha segment and eight of them had recorded less than 10 per cent overall voting in 11 hours of voting. Due to delimitation, this time there are 18 assembly segments in each Lok Sabha segment, including Srinagar in J&K. In all segments, over 20 per cent voting had been recorded in the first few hours.
By 11 am, the turnout percentages recorded across different constituencies in Srinagar was: Central Shalteng 9.40 per cent, Chadoora 22.30 per cent, Char-i-Sharif 22.20 per cent, Channapora 8.12 per cent, Eidgah 13.20 per cent, Ganderbal 21.44 per cent, Habba Kadal 6.12 per cent, Hazratbal 10.29 per cent, Kangan (ST) 22.68 per cent, Khan Sahib 19.70 per cent, Khanyar 9.43 per cent, Lal Chowk 9.94 per cent, Pampore 14.79 per cent, Pulwama 16.27 per cent, Rajpora 20.86 per cent, Shopian 17.28 per cent, Tral 12.42 per cent, and Zadibal 10.89 per cent.
In Eidgah assembly segment, the overall polling percentage in 2019 had stood at just 3.4 per cent. As stated in the paragraph above, it had crossed 13.20 per cent by 11 am and is likely to go up substantially by 6 pm. However, the complete and accurate voting figures may be available only in a day or two. The figures released by the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of J&K tonight will only be tentative.
In 2019, the lowest polling percentage was reported in Eidgah where only 3.4 per cent voters exercised their franchise. Habba Kadal had recorded 4.3 per cent votes and Amira Kadal segment saw 4.9 per cent polling. This time, however, the figures are likely to be dramatically different as Kashmri Pandits are also casting their votes in voting centres set up for them outside Srinagar. Some of the problems they faced earlier in casting their votes stand addressed and their votes will make a difference in overall voting percentage.
The assembly constituencies which had recorded less than 10 per cent voting in 2019 were Habba Kadal, Amira Kadal, Hazratbal, Zadibal, Eidgah, Khanyar, Batmaloo and Chadoora.
The highest polling percentage of 32.1 was recorded in Charar e Sharif in Budgam district.
Overall, the polling percentage in Srinagar district was an abysmal 7.7 per cent.
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