Srinagar: Amid unprecedented security arrangements, voting began on a dull note on Monday in Pulwam and Shopian districts in the final phase of election in Anantnag Parliamentary constituency in south Kashmir. In the last phase of elections in the state, Ladakh is also voting and initial reports suggest that a good number of people turned to cast their vote so far there.
Poling which began at 0700 hours will end at 1600 hours in Pulwama and Shopian while in Ladakh the voting will conclude at 1800 hours.
Reports said that majority polling booths in southern districts were yet to receive first voter during the first hour of polling. However, in some outskirt polling booths a few votes were polled.
Ladakh Parliamentary constituency and Pulwama-Shopian districts of Anantnag Parliamentary constituency are going to polls with a total electoral strength of 6,97,148 voters including 3,57,879 males, 3,35,799 females, 3,456 service voters and 14 transgender voters, officials said.
1254 polling stations have been established by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to ensure smooth conduct of polls, they said.
The Ladakh Parliamentary constituency comprises two districts of Leh and Kargil. The Kargil district consists of two assembly segments Kargil and Zanskar while Leh district includes Nubra and Leh assembly segments, the officials said.
The candidates in fray for the Ladakh Lok Sabha seat are Rigzin Spalbar of Congress, Jamyang Tsering Namgyal of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Asgar Ali Karbalai and Sajjad Hussain – both independents
Pulwama district has 351,314 electors including 181,259 males, 169,508 females, 541 service electors (533 male and eight female) and six transgender voters. 450 polling stations have been set up across the district.
Similarly, Shopian district has 171,216 electors including 89,868 males, 81,227 females, 116 service electors (113 male and three female) and five transgender voters. The EC has set up 245 polling stations across the district.
The candidates in the fray are Hasnain Masoodi of Jammu Kashmir National Conference, Sofi Yousuf of BJP, Ghulam Ahmad Mir of Congress, Mehbooba Mufti of Jammu Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party, Nisar Ahmad Wani of Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party, Choudhary Zaffar Ali of Jammu Kashmir People’s Conference, Sanjay Kumar Dhar of Manav Adhikar Party, Surinder Singh of Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia) and Independents Imtiyaz Ahmad Rather, Ridwana Sanam, Riyaz Ahmad Bhat, Zubair Masoodi, Shams Khwaja, Ali Mohammad Wani, Ghulam Mohammad Wani, Kyasir Ahmed Sheikh, Manzoor Ahmad Khan and Mirza Sajad Hussain Beigh.
The Anantnag and Kulgam districts of Anantnag constituency went to the polls on April 23 and April 29, respectively.
