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SRINAGAR/JAMMU/NEW DELHI: The Jammu & Kashmir electorate on Tuesday belied the ruling National Conference's "fears" of a low turnout in the wake of recent floods, by clocking a massive 71.28% polling in the first phase of voting.
The turnout appears all the more impressive as the 15 J&K constituencies that went to polls are located in far-flung, mountainous districts of the state. While the corresponding turnout during the Lok Sabha poll this year was barely 52.63%, it was only a tad higher in the 2008 assembly poll at 64.97%. According to deputy election commissioner Vinod Zutshi, who chose to describe the polling in J&K as "100% flawless with no incident to vitiate the poll", voters remained queued up outside polling stations even after polling hours.
The district-wise polling in J&K shows a major surge in poll percentage in Bandipora and Ganderbal, the latter being the chief minister's traditional constituency. While Bandipora registered a two-fold increase in turnout (from 35.24% to 70.3%) as compared to Lok Sabha poll held only six months back, the rise in Ganderbal was from 55% in 2008 state polls and 43.97% in Lok Sabha poll to 68% on Tuesday. Leh and Kargil too voted handsomely, while Kishtwar, Doda and Ramban recorded a 4-7% jump.
Zutshi said as many as 43 sorties, by MI-17 and Chetak helicopters, were undertaken to airlift poll personnel and security forces to remote areas. The voter enthusiasm was best showcased when a 121-year-old lady voter, Noor Bin, voted in the Ramban assembly constituency.
Dealing a serious blow to separatist politics, thousands of voters had lined up before polling stations with nearly 10.52 lakh voters being eligible to vote.
Separatist groups like all the factions of Hurriyat Conference and JKLF have called for a boycott of the polls and a general strike as well.
A total of 123 candidates including seven ministers were in the fray with the ruling coalition partners National Conference and Congress and the opposition People's Democratic Party(PDP) and BJP fighting for the spoils.
The turnout appears all the more impressive as the 15 J&K constituencies that went to polls are located in far-flung, mountainous districts of the state. While the corresponding turnout during the Lok Sabha poll this year was barely 52.63%, it was only a tad higher in the 2008 assembly poll at 64.97%. According to deputy election commissioner Vinod Zutshi, who chose to describe the polling in J&K as "100% flawless with no incident to vitiate the poll", voters remained queued up outside polling stations even after polling hours.
The district-wise polling in J&K shows a major surge in poll percentage in Bandipora and Ganderbal, the latter being the chief minister's traditional constituency. While Bandipora registered a two-fold increase in turnout (from 35.24% to 70.3%) as compared to Lok Sabha poll held only six months back, the rise in Ganderbal was from 55% in 2008 state polls and 43.97% in Lok Sabha poll to 68% on Tuesday. Leh and Kargil too voted handsomely, while Kishtwar, Doda and Ramban recorded a 4-7% jump.
Zutshi said as many as 43 sorties, by MI-17 and Chetak helicopters, were undertaken to airlift poll personnel and security forces to remote areas. The voter enthusiasm was best showcased when a 121-year-old lady voter, Noor Bin, voted in the Ramban assembly constituency.
Dealing a serious blow to separatist politics, thousands of voters had lined up before polling stations with nearly 10.52 lakh voters being eligible to vote.
Separatist groups like all the factions of Hurriyat Conference and JKLF have called for a boycott of the polls and a general strike as well.
A total of 123 candidates including seven ministers were in the fray with the ruling coalition partners National Conference and Congress and the opposition People's Democratic Party(PDP) and BJP fighting for the spoils.
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