S Tahir-ul Haq
Early Times Report
BARAMULLA, Dec 11: Despite the threats and strike call from separatist group, people in Kupwara district exercised their franchise, on Tuesday and turned out in large number to record highest voter turnout with 53.6%, followed by Bandipora with 46% in the ninth and last phase of panchayat polls.
In the last phase of elections, seven districts of Kashmir division went for polls including Baramulla, Bandipora, Kupwara, Ganderbal, Budgam, Pulwama and Anantnag.
An officer on election duty told Early Times over the phone that polling for the ninth and final phase of panchayat elections ended peacefully in north Kashmir on Tuesday with highest turn out recorded in Kupwara. Kupwara recorded 53.6%, Bandipora 46 % and Baramulla 38.9% in the last phase of panchayat elections.
As a precautionary measure, authorities had tightened the security arrangements in and around the polling stations, the official said. He said that, during all these phases, Kashmir observed complete shutdown, and government declared holidays in poll-bound areas on the polling days, and it is a positive gesture that people understand the value of their votes. Local residents of Banakoot Bandipora said that they voted to keep the BJP away from their district.
Despite threats and other risks, people had collectively decided not to vote for BJP candidates, and they would rather prefer not to cast their votes, but the things were quite different today and they preferred to vote for parties of their choice, said local residents of Bandipora district. Whereas Kupwara people reiterated that they voted for development, building of schools and medical centres and roads in Kupwara, and hoped that the newly elected people will take care of these basic needs, said locals. |
