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| `Anantnag-Pulwama people refuse to be part of democratic process' | | | Kunal Shrivatsa
JAMMU, Apr 25: The low turnout of just 28 percent in Anantnag Lok Sabha seat has again indicated that the people of Kashmir region are not eager to participate in the democratic process.
As the electors in Anantnag remained aloof towards exercising their right to franchise, they lost yet another opportunity to play an active role in the biggest democracy of the world.
The detachment of Anantnag voters could be gauged from the fact that an increase of just one percent in voter turnout was recorded in comparison to 2009 Lok Sabha polls when 27.09 percent voters had cast their votes.
It may be recalled that the Anantnag Parliamentary constituency had witnessed an increase of 12.05 percent in polling of General Elections-2009 as in Lok Sabha polls-2004; the segment had recorded a turnout of only 15.04 percent.
Going by the swelled percentage of polling in 2009 and voting trend in other Lok Sabha segments of the country, including Jammu-Poonch and Udhampur-Doda Parliamentary constituencies in the state, where bumper polling was recorded, high hopes were pinned on good voter turnout, if not high, in Anantnag too, however, the people of this constituency displayed lack of involvement in the poll process.
Even the strenuous efforts of the Election Commission of India (ECI) in making the voters aware of the value of votes has gone astray in this constituency.
"Election Commission of India used every possible channel to ensure maximum polling in every nook and corner of the country and Anantnag was no exception where the election authorities had made elaborate arrangements for a free, fair and peaceful polling," said the political analysts.
"Prior to polling in Anantnag, the ECI did its best to spread the message of exercising the right to franchise…. It (ECI) made fervent appeals to voters to cast their ballots through different means of communications but the low turnout here has clearly pointed that the voters in Anantnag paid no heed and remained confined to their houses rather than visiting a polling booth…. The electors in Anantnag couldn't understand the value of vote…. They simply wasted the power of vote," they added.
The political analysts further observed that with a meager percentage of 28 in Anantnag Lok Sabha seat, a golden chance of initiating a change in representation may have gone in vain. "As many as 12 candidates were in the fray for this Lok Sabha seat spread over 16 assembly segments in four districts of Anantnag, Kulgam, Pulwama and Shopian, the main contest, however, was between incumbent National Conference's Mirza Mehboob Beg and opposition PDP president Mehbooba Mufti… The low turnout might hamper the prospects of PDP which was quite confident of wresting the seat from arch rival NC," the political observers said.
"Of the 16 assembly segments, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) MLAs has representation in 12 assembly constituencies, the Congress in two while the NC and the CPI-M in one each…. PDP had high hopes of giving a jolt to NC in this seat but the voters' luke warm response especially in its pocket boroughs is not a good omen for the party," they added. |
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