Shopian: Deserted polling stations, areas swarming with forces personnel armed to teeth with protective gears, sporadic clashes and grenade attacks.
This is what high voltage Lok Sabha Polls for Anantnag parliamentary constituency, in its last leg looked like in south Kashmir’s twin district of Shopian and Pulwama.
The districts are the hot bed of renewed militancy in Kashmir. Just a day earlier, BJP worker was assassinated by militants in Shopian.
Even though Government claimed that the overall poll percentage in the state remained 15.64% including in Leh, Kargil, Shopian and Pulwama.
In Pulwama 1.91% votes were cast while the figure for Shopian remained 2.64%
“At least we were able to open an account,” a polling officer at Washbugh-A sarcastically commented as only 5 votes were cast out of 1039 votes.
Another polling station for the same area Washbugh B was not so fortunate, of 325 votes none had turned up.
Six polling stations were clubbed in Nikas area in Pulwama.
“Only 4 votes have been cast at six booths including for five of Arihal, and one of Nikas area,” an officer said.
At 3pm, an hour before the polling concludes, Government released this figure:
Ladakh Parliamentary Constituency
S no | District | Upto11.am | Upto1.pm | Upto3.pm |
1. | Leh | 20.89% | 29.38% | 49.07% |
2. | Kargil | 21.14% | 51.26% | 60.91% |
Anantnag Parliamentary Constituency
S no | District | Upto11.am | Upto1.pm | Upto3.pm |
1. | Pulwama | 1.00 % | 1.51% | 1.91% |
2. | Shopian | 1.28% | 2.25% | 2.64% |