72 % voters register their choice for Jammu LS seat
Voting goes by peacefully amid heavy security cover; turnout stood at 72.16% in the 2019 elections
At least 72.04% of the 17.8 lakh voters in Jammu exercised their right to franchise as the Lok Sabha constituency went to polls, along with 87 other seats, in the second phase of elections on Friday.
“At least 72.04% of the 17.8 lakh voters marked their choice till 6 pm,” chief electoral officer K Pandurang Pole said, adding that data from some polling stations was yet to be compiled.
The voter turnout stood at 72.16% in the 2019 elections.
As per the office of Chief Election Officer, Jammu and Kasdhmir, Gulabgarh (ST) has recorded 71.47% polling, Reasi 71.65 %, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi 79.43%, Ramgarh (SC) 69.76 %, Samba 69.23 %,Vijaypur 75.67 %, Bishnah (SC)76.54 %, Suchetgarh (SC) 75.94 %, R S Pura-Jammu South 68.11%, Bahu 62.34 %, Jammu East 66.11 %, Nagrota 75.63 %, Jammu West 62.82 %, Jammu North 67.29 %, Marh (SC) 79.31 %, Akhnoor (SC) 78.27%, Chhamb 75.76 % and Kalakote-Sunderbani has registered 69.10 % voting till 6 pm.
Long queues of voters in Jammu
Polling began at 7am in 2,416 polling stations across the constituency and is going on peacefully with no untoward incident reported, the officials said.
Electors in Jammu are casting their votes to decide the fate of 22 candidates, including sitting MP Jugal Kishore Sharma, who is eyeing a third term after winning the seat for the BJP in 2014 and 2019.
This is the first major electoral battle after the abrogation of Article 370 and the bifurcation of the erstwhile state into two UTs on August 5, 2019.
More than 15,000 polling officials have been deployed, while security arrangements are foolproof to ensure free and fair elections. “Security and other related arrangements are in place to ensure free, fair and peaceful voting. A contingency plan has also been worked out to ensure no disruption in polling along the borders,” chief electoral officer Pole said.
Voting remained peaceful in four districts
Voting remained peaceful in all the four districts of Jammu, Samba, Reasi and in KalakoteSunderbani assembly constituency of Rajouri district.
A total of 17,80,835 voters, including 9,21,095 men, 8,59,712 women and 28 third-gender voters, are enrolled in the Jammu Lok Sabha constituency.
The officials said there are 10,498 differently abled voters and 666 voters above the age of 100 years.
Union minister, sitting MP among early voters
Union minister JitendraSingh cast his vote in the Trikutanagar area of Jammu and said that there is enthusiasm among people. “This is the base of successful democracy and that is why it
is called a festival... All the phases will turn out to be great for the BJP,” he told reporters in Jammu.
Sitting MP Jugal Kishore Sharma, who along with his family voted at a polling booth set up at the Kishenpur government high school in Nagrota, said people should come out of their homes and contribute to a strong democracy by exercising their right to vote.
This is the second Lok Sabha seat in Jammu and Kashmir to go to polls. Earlier, polling was held in the Udhampur seat on April 19, recording a voter turnout of more than 68%.