At 59 pc, J&K’s Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency records all-time high voter turnout

Srinagar, May 20 (PTI) Jammu and Kashmir’s Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency, which was once militancy-infested, recorded its highest-ever voter turnout on Monday at 59 per cent on a violence-free polling day, the Union territory’s Chief Electoral Officer P K Pole said here.

He also said that the Sopore assembly segment of the parliamentary constituency witnessed a healthy turnout of 44 per cent after recording single-digit polling percentages in the past couple of decades.

“The Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency witnessed a record voter turnout since parliamentary polls were first held here in 1967,” Pole told reporters at the end of polling.

The previous highest voter turnout in the Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency was witnessed in 1984 at 58.90 per cent.

This year, it was 59 per cent, Pole said.

The official said that the figures were likely to undergo an upward revision as there were voters still waiting for their turn at some polling stations after the stipulated 6 pm deadline.

Besides the highest voter turnout, Pole said the constituency created another record by having a zero-violence polling day.

“The people have proved that they have faith in democracy and they can achieve sustainable development only through voting in the polls,” he added.

Pole said there were attempts by terrorists a couple of days back to vitiate the atmosphere by carrying out attacks but those incidents did not have any impact on the voter turnout.

The constituency has 17,37,865 registered voters and there are 22 candidates in the fray.