Over 20k polling staff mobilised for final phase of assembly elections in J-K

Jammu: Over 20,000 polling staff have been mobilised Monday across seven districts of Jammu and Kashmir on the eve of third and final phase of assembly elections which will decide the electoral fate of 415 candidates including two former deputy chief ministers Tara Chand and Muzaffar Beig, officials said.

The highlight of the voting will be participation of west Pakistani refugees, Valmiki Samaj and Gorkha community who got the voting rights in assembly, urban local bodies and panchayat elections only after the abrogation of Article 370. They have earlier voted in panchayat and urban local bodies polls in 2018.

Over 39.18 lakh voters are eligible to exercise their franchise at 5,060 polling stations in this crucial phase, covering 40 assembly segments in Jammu, Udhampur, Samba and Kathua in the Jammu region and Baramulla, Bandipora and Kupwara in north Kashmir, on October 1.

Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Jammu zone, Anand Jain, said adequate security arrangements have been put in place in the poll-bound areas to ensure "terror-free and peaceful" polling.

Amid tight security arrangements, thousands of election staff along with poll material left their respective district headquarters this morning to take positions at their designated polling stations by this evening.

The voter turnout was robust in the earlier phases, with 61.38 per cent participation recorded in the first phase on September 18 and 57.31 per cent in the second phase on September 26.

This is the first Assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution in August 2019, with the results set to be announced on October 8.

According to J&K chief electoral officer Pandurang K Pole, more than 39.18 lakh voters are eligible to exercise their electoral franchise in the final phase across the 40 assembly constituencies – 24 in Jammu region and 16 in Kashmir valley.

In Jammu division, Jammu district accounts for the highest number of 11 segments (Bishnah-SC, Suchetgarh-SC, R S Pura, Jammu South, Bahu, Jammu East, Nagrota, Jammu West, Jammu North, Akhnoor-SC and Chhamb), followed by six seats in Kathua district (Bani, Billawar, Basohli, Jasrota, Kathua-SC and Hiranagar), four in Udhampur district (Udhampur West, Udhampur East, Chenni and Ramnagar-SC) and three in Samba (Ramgarh-SC, Samba and Vijaypur).

Similarly in Kashmir division, 16 assembly constituencies including Karnah, Tregham, Kupwara, Lolab, Handwara and Langate fall in Kupwara district, Sopore, Rafiabad, Uri, Baramulla, Gulmarg, Wagoora-Kreeri and Pattan in Baramulla district and Sonawari, Bandipora, Gurez (ST) in Bandipora district.

Pole said a total of 5,060 polling stations have been set up across the poll-bound districts.

He said there will be 50 polling booths managed by women, known as Pink Polling Stations, 43 polling stations manned by specially-abled persons and 40 polling stations manned by youths.

Also, there will be 45 green polling stations in order to spread the message about environmental concern and 33 unique polling stations, he said, adding 29 polling stations are established near the Line of Control or International Border for border residents.

"The purpose behind these special polling stations is to spread awareness among sections of society like women, specially-abled persons and first-time young voters to come forward and exercise their right to vote," he said.

He said over 1.07 lakh saplings have been planted in the premises of all polling stations.

Four election staff, including presiding officer, will be stationed in every polling station, he said, adding more than 20,000 polling staff will be deployed on duty for the third phase election.

A total of 39,18,220 lakh voters eligible to exercise their franchise include 20,09,033 male voters, 19,09,130 female voters and 57 third gender voters, the CEO said, adding as many as 1.94 lakh youth between the age 18 and19 years, along with 35,860 Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) and 32,953 elderly voters above the age of 85 are also eligible to exercise their franchise in this phase.

He said the voting will take place from 7 am to 6 pm and before that there will be a mock poll in the polling stations in presence of the polling agents. Also, the voting will continue even after 6 pm, if voters are standing in queue in the polling station premises to exercise their right to vote.

Every polling station will be provided with Assured Minimum Facilities (AMFs) like drinking water, electricity, toilet, ramp, furniture and veranda or shed. Besides, wheelchairs will also be provided to the needy, he said, adding the ballot unit will also have a list of contesting candidates in the Braille script.

Where ever required, there will be separate queues for senior citizens and specially-abled persons facilitating them with early polling, he said.

Prominent among others in the fray include People's Conference chairman and former minister Sajjad Lone and National Panthers Party India president Dev Singh. While Lone is fighting on two seats from Kupwara, Singh is contesting from Chenani seat of Udhampur.

Former ministers Raman Bhalla (R S Pura), Usman Majid (Bandipora), Nazir Ahmad Khan (Gurez), Taj Mohiuddin (Uri), Basharat Bukhari (Wagoora-Kreeri), Imran Ansari (Pattan), Ghulam Hassan Mir (Gulmarg), Choudhary Lal Singh (Basohli), Rajiv Jasrotia (Jasrota), Manohar Lal Sharma (Billawar), Sham Lal Sharma and Ajay Kumar Sadhotra (Jammu North), Mula Ram (Marh), Chander Prakash Ganga and Manjit Singh (Vijapur) are other strong contenders in the fray.