Jammu, Sep 25 (UNI) Voting in the second phase of Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections continued peacefully on Wednesday as the Union Territory recorded 36.93 percent voter turnout till 1 pm in 26 constituencies spread over six districts – three in the Valley and as many in the Jammu division, said the Chief Electoral Office.
District-wise turnout data released by the election office showed that in the first six hours of voting, after the start at 7 am, 17.95 pc voting was recorded in Srinagar district, 39.43 pc in Budgam district, 39.29 pc in Ganderbal district, 49.94 pc in Poonch district, 46.93 pc in Rajouri district, and 51.55pc in Reasi district.
A multi-tier security blanket has been thrown around polling stations to ensure voting in a free atmosphere to pick new legislators in an election being held in Jammu and Kashmir after almost a decade.
Till 11 am, Gulabgarh (35.72 pc), Surankote (33.79 pc), Poonch Haveli (34.26 pc) and Rajouri (33.77 pc) Assembly constituencies had recorded the highest voter turnout, the election office said. The lowest turnout of 21.42 percent was recorded in Nowshera in the Jammu region during the first four hours.
During this period, in the Kashmir region Kangan recorded highest 30.94 pc turnout, followed by Chrar-i-Sharief (28.85 pc), Khansahib (27 pc), and Beerwah (26.62 pc), while Habbakadal recorded the least at 7.4 pc.
As voting started at 7 am, long queues of enthusiastic voters were seen waiting for their turn to exercise their right to franchise.
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to voters in Jammu and Kashmir to use their franchise. “I appeal to all voters that they must cast their votes and play an important role in strengthening democracy,” Modi said while greeting the first-time voters.
Over 2.5 million voters will decide the fate of 239 candidates in the fray for 26 Jammu and Kashmir assembly seats in the second phase of the election underway in the Union Territory from 7 am to 6 pm.
The voting in the second phase of the election will decide the fate of former chief minister and National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah who is contesting from two constituencies of Budgam and Ganderbal. In Budgam, Omar is in contest against Peoples Democratic Party’s Agha Syed Muntazir, cousin of NC leader and Member Parliament Rullah Mehdi.
The fate of J&K BJP chief Ravinder Raina, who is contesting from Nowshera seat, will also be decided in this phase. The BJP chief is facing a tough challenge from former MLC Surinder Choudhary who is fighting the elections on an NC ticket.
The other prominent candidates whose fate will be decided in the second phase include Congress J&K president Tariq Karra from Central-Shalteng; Apni Party chief Altaf Bukhari from Channapora, jailed cleric and separatist leader Sarjan Ahmad Wagay from Ganderbal and Beerwa, NC leaders Ali Mohammad Sagar from Khaniyar, Rahim Rather from Chrar-i-Sharief, BJP leaders Aijaz Hussain from Lal Chowk, Choudhary Zulfikar from Budhal and Syed Mushtaq Bukhari from Surankote.
More than 13,000 polling staff have been posted at 3,500 polling stations set up across 26 assembly constituencies of Jammu and Kashmir, where voting is in progress.
The first phase of the election was held on September 18 that recorded an impressive turnout of over 61 per cent and the last phase is scheduled on October 1. The counting will take place on October 8.
