Anantnag PC betters 2004 poll %, records 26% voter turnout

Polling peaceful across all 16 Assembly segments 
Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), J&K, Mr. B. R. Sharma today said that about 26 per cent polling was recorded in Anantnag Parliamentary constituency (PC), which went to polls in the third phase of the five-phased Lok Sabha elections today. He said polling was peaceful with no untoward incident reported from any where across the 16 Assembly segments of the largest Parliamentary constituency in Kashmir division. A voter turnout of 15.04 per cent was recorded in the 2004 Parliamentary elections in the constituency.  
Addressing a crowded press conference here this evening, which was also attended by Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Mr. Masaud Samoon, IG, Kashmir Zone, Dr. B. Srinivas, Mr. Sharma said that in order to bring in greater transparency in the poll process, certain add on features had been introduced. “This time we insisted on mock poll certificate from the Presiding Officer and asked Zonal and Sectoral Officers to complete mock poll before 7 p.m”, he said, adding that wherever poll agents were absent, Presiding Officer diaries would be scrutinized to ensure free and fair polls. 
The Chief Electoral Officer said that only 8 complaints were received from various political parties which were enquired and found baseless. ‘We have a polling station-level communication plan in place which allows us to track complaints and have them enquired in real time”, he said, adding that 11 complaints about EVM malfunctioning were also received following which ballot units were immediately replaced.
Giving details about migrant voters for whom 13 polling stations had been set up at Jammu and Udhampur districts, Mr. Sharma said that 2,128 cast their ballot out of 10,203 registered voters. No vote was cast at the four polling stations set up for migrants at New Delhi, he added.  
In order to ensure free, fair and transparent elections, the CEO said that three Election Observers and about 160 Micro Observers were deployed, besides 32 video cameras installed. 
Giving details of the poll percentage recorded in the 16 Assembly segments of Anantnag PC, Mr. Sharma said Tral recorded 2.83 per cent, Pampore 4.65, Pulwama 14, Rajpora 13, Wachi 19.65, Shopian 17.92, Noorabad 54.37, Kulgam 18, Homeshalibug 25, Devsar 33, Anantnag 21.29, Dooru 25.65, Kokernag 33.73, Shangus 39.14, Bijbehara 34.08 and Pahalgam recorded 47 per cent voter turnout.
The Chief Electoral Officer said that these were tentative figures as final figures will be available only after receiving Presiding Officers’ diaries from all the polling stations of the constituency.
Replying to a query about voter turnout today, Mr. Sharma said that voters traditionally record higher percentage in Assembly elections as compared to Parliamentary elections.  
In reply to another question, the Chief Electoral Officer said that as per standing instructions of the Election Commission of India, no SPOs can be deployed at polling stations, adding that they are involved only in maintenance of law-and-order and security duty.  
Giving details about security measures taken to ensure peaceful polls, IGP, Dr. Srinivas said only two minor incidents of scuffle were reported in the constituency in which three persons were injured.