Less than one percent (0.36%) of the over 3.45 lakh electorate came out to vote in the first two hours of polling in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir – part of the Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency – on Monday, 29 April, amid stringent security arrangements, officials said.
The voting in the second leg of the three-phased schedule for the Lok Sabha seat would decide the fate of 18 candidates, including former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti.
The overall poll percentage in district Kulgam at 11:00 am was 0.36 percent, as per the Election Commission’s Voter Turnout app.
The overall voter turnout for Anantnag, so far, is 3.74 percent – Noorabad (8.5 percent), Kulgam (0.36 percent), Home Shalibugh (0.5 percent), and Devser (6.16 percent).
Poll officials, quoted by PTI, said polling so far has been peaceful in the militancy-affected district in the restive south Kashmir.
Polling will end at 4:00 pm, instead of usual 6:00 pm, following a request by the state police to the Election Commission.
The Kulgam district, which comprises four Assembly segments of Kulgam, Devsar, Noorabad and Hom Shalibugh, has 3,45,489 registered electors including 1,79,607 males, 1,64,604 females, 1,265 service electors and 13 transgender voters.
The Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency is spread over four districts of Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian and Pulwama with 16 Assembly segments.
The Lok Sabha polls to this constituency are being held in three phases due to security reasons.
Anantnag district went to polls on 23 April, while voting in Pulwama and Shopian districts will take place on 6 May.
Of the six Assembly constituencies in Anantnag, which voted in the third phase, the voting percentage was recorded at 13 percent – 27 percent lower than the corresponding turnout in 2014.
(With inputs from PTI)
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