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| Jammu-Poonch records 49 pc turnout in Phase-I of LS polling in J&K | | Enthusism high among elders, rural folks but low among youth, urban voters | | Munish Gupta
JAMMU, April 16: Moderate voter turnout of 49 percent was recorded in Jammu-Poonch constituency as Phase-I of the Lok Sabha elections was conducted smoothly by Election Commission of India (ECI) in Jammu and Kashmir today. There was an increase of nearly five percent voter turnout over 44.49 percent recorded in the Lok Sabha elections of 2004 but in a remarkable contrast to the Assembly elections of November-December 2008, there was subdued enthusiasm among the youth and over a half of the urban folks did not turn up to exercise their franchise.
After supervising the day-long polling process at 2,210 polling stations for 17.21 Lakh eligible voters---spread in 20 Assembly segments of Jammu, Samba, Rajouri and Poonch districts---Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), J&K, B R Sharma revealed at a crowded news conference here this evening that nearly 49 per cent voter turnout had been recorded in Phase-I of Lok Sabha elections in the state today. He said it was an improvement of nearly 5 percent over the turnout of 44.49 per cent recorded in the same constituency in 2004. According to him, this increase in the voter turnout could be attributed to the “growing faith of the people of the State in the democratic institutions of the country”.
Mr Sharma sought to make it clear that today’s statistics of the turnout were subject to the precision check as the final figures could be available only after receiving and studying the Presiding Officers’ Diaries of all the 2,210 polling station---most likely in the next 24 hours.
Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Dr Pawan Kotwal, IGP Jammu, K Rajendra Kumar and Director of Information, Khalid Bashir Ahmed, were also present at the CEO’s press briefing.
Mr Sharma asserted that with the exception of just a couple of minor incidents, which had been a usual feature of many elections all over the country, today’s polling in the entire Jammu-Pooncxh constituency was totally peaceful and incident-free.
Sharing details of the tentative figures available with him, Mr Shamrma said that Samba district had recorded turnout of 47 percent even as it was 51% in Jammu district, 49% in Rajouri and 47% in Poonch district.
While giving detailed break-up of Assembly segment-wise voter turnout, Sharma said that Samba recorded 43 per cent, Vijaypur 50, Nagrota 40, Gandhinagar 43, Jammu East 48, Jammu West 50, Bishnah 46, R. S. Pura 55, Suchetgarh 56, Marh 54, Raipur-Domana 51, Akhnoor 61, Chhamb 53, Nowshera 45, Darhal 58, Rajouri 47, Kalakote 42, Surankote 40, Mendhar 56 and Poonch-Haveli recorded 45 per cent.
CEO said that polling was conducted in a free, fair and transparent manner and mock polls were conducted in all the polling station between 0630 hours to 0700 hours. However, he said, at certain polling stations, the mock polls had to be conducted in absence of polling agents of various political parties as they did not turn up before 7 a.m. when polling was scheduled to start. He said that 125 of such polling stations had been identified and a detailed report was being sought from the concerned authorities.
Observers and mediapersons witnessed more enthusiasm among elderly voters who turned up at the polling stations early in the morning. Contrary to last year’s Assembly elections, youngsters were not very much visible as got off to a slow start.
Percentage of turnout by youths has recorded a decline in the last four Parliamentray elections. While it was 54% in 1996 and 60% in 1998, it dipped to 57 percent in 1999. The percentage further declined to 55 percent in 2004.
Even as the polling was almost completely peaceful, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Congress workers clashed in Darhal segment of Rajouri district. The clashing groups caused a law and order situation which was defused after Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) troopers fired in the air, according to reports received here. Three persons were injured in these clashes. Officials said that there were still verifying the reports.
Voters were seen lined up outside various polling stations waiting for their turn to cast vote. About 2,210 polling stations have been set up across the constituency to facilitate voters. However, there was more enthusiasm among the rural electors than those living in urban or semi-urban localities.
As many as 17.21 lakh electors, including 23,674 service voters, are deciding the fate of 21 contestants in fray for Jammu Parliamentary constituency which went for the great democratic exercise along with 123 other constituencies in 15 states of the country.
With 21 contestants in the fray, Congress party’s candidate Madan Lal Sharma (who is also enjoying the support of the coalition partner National Conference), Opposition BJP’s Leela Karan Sharma (former convener of Shri Amarnath Yatra Sangharsh Samiti (SAYSS) and the Opposition Peoples Democratic Party’s nominee, T.S. Bajwa, are the main contenders in today’s polling.
According to reports reaching election officials here, aged people were reaching polling booths at several places across the constituency, comprising 20 assembly segments - the highest in all of the state's six parliamentary seats.
At Bowani polling station in Nowshera, about 150 km north of Jammu, 104-year-old Munshi Ram turned up to vote. Ishar Das and Hansraj, both in their late 90s, were also among those who exercised their franchise in the early hours of voting at the same polling station.
Kamla Devi, 102, came to vote at Gurah Brahamana polling station in Akhnoor, 30 km north of Jammu. She was exercising her right to franchise for the 20th time in various parliamentary and assembly elections. However, she declined to disclose for whom she voted.
Among the first time voters was 20-year-old Neesha Devi, who cast her vote at the Government Boys City Middle School in R.S. Pura, 30 km west of Jammu.
Women here are not ready to be smitten by the attractive proposals of 33 per cent reservation for them in the Assembly.
Anita Bhardwaj, a doctor, said: “How long women can be fooled in name of 33 per cent reservation? There are some selfish male chauvinists who cannot see women heading to the galleries of power. So I am not going to be taken in by such kind of hollow promises.”
“Even though the Amarnath land agitation still has a slight impact, I have come here to cast my vote with a hope to see a corruption-free society where people get job opportunities, education, water and electricity,” said M.K Sharma from Jammu west .
“I feel that political affiliations don’t matter anymore because people by and large want development and they prefer a candidate, who can deliver to them, he added.
Harbans Singh a Professor said, “Though casting vote is the essence of democracy, dynastic rule in political parties thrusting candidates upon the people has been killing it.”
Singh , however, strongly advocated the need of framing a law to punish those, who stay away from casting their franchise.
Contrary to the expectations, during the first phase of polling for Jammu-Poonch parliamentary constituency most of the people in winter capital of Jammu and Kashmir State preferred to remain within the four walls of their residences and observed the polling day as ‘holiday’.
Since all the state and central governments departments have been closed, large section employees remained away from exercising their franchise in the first phase.
The attitude of voters was similar to the less atheistic election campaign by the most of the political parties. No doubt that most the political parties left no stone unturned even than they failed to motivate people to cast their votes.
While justifying the same, Gurmeet Singh, a government employee has made his mind no to exercise his franchise. Singh thinks that “leaders cannot do any thing for the development of state, or for its citizen’s welfare adding they are self motivated and why should I wait my time by casting vote”
Singh said that “I am 54, I have voted several times but our suffering always remained unaddressed, mere assurances have been given but no concrete solution”.
Interestingly, zeal for casting their votes has been witnessed among the young voters not for the election of a good deserving leader instead to see the Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) for the first time. |
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