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| Tension recedes despite Geelani’s 50-hr shutdown | | Farooq-Iftikhar big fight in NC’s stronghold today | |
Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, May 6: With over 11 Lakh people entitled to vote in 15 Assembly segments of Srinagar, Budgam and Ganderbal districts, Kashmir valley’s big fight between the ruling National Conference (NC) and the Opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is being played on Thursday amid tight security arrangements. There are 15 candidates in the fray in this Central Kashmir constituency but NC’s ace, Dr Farooq Abdullah, and PDP’s Maulvi Iftikhar Hussain Ansari are widely believed to be the key contestants in the Lok Sabha elections this time.
Elections on Thursday are being held in the backdrop of 50-hour-long shutdown sponsored by the separatist hardliner Syed Ali Shah Geelani. With some difference to the impact generated on occasion of the polling in South Kashmir on April 30th last, Geelani’s call did not create a high degree of tension in the Valley today. Head of another faction of Hurriyat Conference, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, besides a number of separatist political and militant outfits, have also called for total shutdown in the Valley on May 7th.
Mirwaiz had repeatedly called upon the people to install black flags on their vehicles, business establishments and residential houses to register their protest to “continued siege of Jamia Masjid” and the current Lok Sabha elections in Central Kashmir from Monday. Significantly, no such flags were seen here anywhere in the last three days. Even as several interior localities in downtown Srinagar remained completely shut, tension seemed to have reduced since last evening. A section of private and government transport operated today and quite a number of shops were seen open in different localities, particularly in half-of the capital city in south-west and south-east.
Educational institutions were closed but attendance was 20% to 40% in most of the government offices even in Srinagar. Reports from everywhere, with the exception of three wards in downtown, said that Police or paramilitary forces did not discourage the public and traffic movement obtrusively. No incident of stone pelting or an anti-election demonstration was reported from anywhere till late this evening. In Geelani’s Hyderpora locality, one incident of tension happened today when a wild monkey appeared and attacked four persons. Residents called Police to capture the animal.
One-odd attempt of disruption of election occurred in Nawab Bazar area in Iddgah segment when suspected militants lobbed a hand grenade on a polling station at 1700 hours this evening. Reports said that polling officials were fully exposed when the grenade fell close to the intended target but did not explode. Police and CRPF rushed to the spot and removed the explosive device successfully.
Almost all the senior separatist leaders, including Geelani, Mirwaiz and JKLF Chairman, Yasin Malik, have been detained at their respective residences since last week. Some others have been arrested and detained at some Police stations. Authorities insist that their free movement could facilitate them provoke people and cause disruption to the democratic process. They maintain that all the separatist leaders would enjoy freedom as usual immediately after the election process ended on May 13th next.
Observers believe that inspite of shutdown, anti-election campaign and threats from certain militant outfits, voter turnout in the capital city would be around 15%. Turnout is expected to be around 45% in Budgam and Ganderbal districts. According to these calculations, aggregate turnout in this Central Kashmir constituency would be around 30%---less than the one witnessed in Assembly elections of 2008 but more than that of the Lok Sabha elections of 2004.
Authorities have put in place all arrangements to ensure smooth process of polling in all the three districts. Chief Electoral Officer, J&K, Mr. B. R. Sharma today said that all arrangements had been finalized for voting for tomorrow’s polling. He said that adequate security contingents had been deployed and hoped that polling would be peaceful. “We have created an environment so that electors come out to vote in a free and fair manner. Nobody will be allowed to prevent people from exercising their franchise, which is the right of an elector”, Mr Sharma said.
As many as 11 lakh electors will decide fate of 15 contestants in Srinagar Parliamentary constituency going to polls in the fourth phase of the five-phased Lok Sabha elections in the State, which is going to polls tomorrow along with 84 other constituencies spread over seven states of the country.
For Srinagar Lok Sabha seat, a total of 15 Assembly segments, spread over three districts, will go to polls with a total electorate of 11,06,568. Polling will be held from 7 a. m. to 5 p. m. tomorrow simultaneously at 1,483 polling stations set up across Ganderbal, Srinagar and Budgam districts.
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