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| 71 % vote in Jammu, Samba; 20% in Srinagar | | Polling ends at 18% higher turnout over 2002 | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Dec 24: The staggered seven-phased polling schedule ended this evening with Jammu and its adjoining Samba districts registering a massive turnout amidst minor protests of missing names in voters’ lists. While the overall poll percentage of seventh phase has been put at 55 per cent, Jammu district recorded nearly 69 percent, Samba 74 per cent and Srinagar 20 percent. The overall poll percentage in Srinagar district was highest in 20 years.
Polling began at a quite dull note in almost all polling stations across two districts this morning but it picked up considerably by the afternoon. Not many people were seen outside polling booths in the morning because of cold and fog.
In Jammu City, former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and his wife were among the first few voters to cast their votes at Ranbir Higher School polling station.
Congress and BJP are locked in close contest in almost half of the 13 constituencies in Jammu and Samba districts while National Conference, Bahujan Samaj Party, Panthers Party and few independents are potential contenders at other constituencies.
Peoples were seen at many places protesting on finding their names missing in the voters’ list but most of these issues were resolved. In many cases the protesters were found not bona fide voters. Reports of some minor clashes between supporters of different parties in Marh, Nagrota, Vijaypur and Suchegarh have been received but authorities said that there was no major incident.
Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Sudhanshu Pandey told reporters in the evening that the polling remained peaceful and no untoward incident was reported from anywhere. He said that the Samba Assembly constituency recorded about 78 per cent voter turnout while as Vijaypur constituency recorded 73 per cent, in Samba district.Likewise, in Jammu district, Nagrota Assembly constituency recorded a voter turnout of about 73 per cent, Gandhinagar 63, Jammu East 61, Jammu West 60, Bishnah 72, R. S. Pura 75, Suchetgarh 70, Marh 72, Raipur-Domana 70, Akhnoor 75 and Chhamb Assembly constituency recorded 77 per cent voter turnout.
On conclusion of voting, the Chief Election Officer BR Sharma said in Srinagar that voter turnout during 2002 elections in Srinagar was 5.06 percent and all the eight constituencies had registered single digit voter turnout. He said as against voter turnout of 43 percent in the 2002 Assembly elections, the over all poll percentage in 87 constituencies of 2008 elections are tentatively around 61.5 percent. He said 2656627 voters had exercised their franchise in 2002 while 3889750 electors voted in 2008 Assembly elections.
Mr. Sharma said that from the date of notification of the first phase on October 19 to the conclusion of the process on 31 December 2008, the days taken for the 7 phases is 73 as against 76 in 1996 and 72 in 2002 Assembly elections which were held in 4 phases each. He said the 2008 elections had many firsts to its credit and was one of the most keenly contested and keenly monitored elections.
The CEO said that 1354 candidates including 64 women candidates and 517 independents were in fray in 2008 Assembly elections as compared to 709 including 30 women candidates in 2002 Assembly elections. He said 43 parties including 7 National, 3 State, 9 registered unrecognized and 24 other parties participated in these elections.
He said it was a low-key campaign with greater degree of attention shown towards social issues by the contesting candidates. He said the model code of conduct enforcement was fairly good with 247 complaints received, of which 215 were disposed off and only 4 found worthy action.
Terming the elections as one of the most peaceful in the state, the CEO said that as against 114 incidents during 2002 elections only 21 such incidents took place this time. In 2002 elections, as many as 63 persons lost their lives, 84 were injured while in 2008 elections only 5 lost their lives and 7 received injuries. He said 29 security forces personnel were killed in 2002 and 26 injured while only one security personnel was killed and three were injured during 2008 Assembly elections.
Praising the media for cooperation with the election department while rendering their professional assignments, Mr. Sharma said that 902 passes were issued to the print and electronic media personnel to facilitate coverage of the elections. Of these, 500 were issued to the local media persons and 402 to those representing national and international media organizations. He said helicopter sorties were also arranged for media to cover the polling in hilly, far off and difficult areas.
The Secretary Information expressed gratitude to the media fraternity for extending cooperation during coverage of the elections. He said a media centre each had been set up at Srinagar and Jammu to facilitate the media while media centres were also established at the district headquarters. He appreciated the functioning of the officers and officials of the Information department for ensuring extensive coverage of the Assembly Elections 2008
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