Historic Voter Turnout: J&K's Baramulla Sees Record around 60%, Ladakh at 67.15%

The Baramulla parliamentary constituency, which was militancy-infested, registered a historic voter turnout of around 60 per cent in the fifth phase of Lok Sabha elections marking its highest turnout since the 1967 parliamentary polls, report ETV Bharat's Muhammad Zulqarnain Zulfi and Mir Farhat Maqbool.

Srinagar:In the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha Elections 2024, the Baramulla parliamentary constituency recorded a historic voter turnout of around 60 per cent on Monday, marking its highest turnout since the 1967 parliamentary elections. Out of over 17.38 lakhs eligible voters, approximately 10.43 lakhs cast their votes for the 22 candidates vying for a seat in Parliament.

Addressing a press conference in Srinagar soon after the polls concluded on May 20, Chief Electoral Officer (Jammu & Kashmir) Pandurang K Pole stated, "Overall, polling remained peaceful, with no negative incidents reported throughout the day. The situation has improved significantly over the last four years, contributing to the high voter turnout in this election. Notably, Sopore, which previously never saw turnout exceed single digits, experienced a substantial increase. Compared to just 4% in 2019, today's voter turnout in Sopore was recorded at 44.36%."

"In 1967, Baramulla recorded a voter turnout of 51.35%. This was followed by 50.62% in 1971, 56.97% in 1977, 56.02% in 1980, 59.09% in 1984, 5.48% in 1989, no election in 1991, 46.65% in 1996, 41.94% in 1998, 27.79% in 1999, 35.65% in 2004, 41.84% in 2009, 38.96% in 2014 and 37.41% in 2019. This year, Baramulla broke all previous records by registering a voter turnout of around 60%."

Detailing the voter turnout, Pole said, "Handwara recorded the highest turnout among the Assembly segments at 67.50%, followed by Langate at 66% and Sonawari at 64.61%. In Kupwara district, Trehgam saw a turnout of 61.17%, Kupwara recorded 58.90%, and Lolab had 58%. In Baramulla district, Rafiabad recorded 57.39%, Uri 60.27%, Baramulla 49.34%, Gulmarg 58.50%, Wagoora 49.79%, and Pattan 59.87%. In Bandipora district, Gurez recorded 40.82%, and Bandipora had 60.24%. In Budgam district, Beerwah recorded 56.63%, while Budgam saw 51.76%."

"Migrant voters' turnout was also notable. Out of 22,000 registered migrant voters, 32 per cent cast their votes today. Additionally, 5,481 postal votes were received," he added.

The high-stakes contest in Baramulla drew 22 candidates from various political parties. Notable contenders included former Chief Minister and National Conference (NC) Vice-President Omar Abdullah, former minister and People's Conference (PC) President Sajad Gani Lone, Independent candidate Engineer Rashid and People's Democratic Party's (PDP) Muhammad Fayaz Mir.

Authorities had established 2,103 polling stations in the Baramulla parliamentary constituency, with 905 booths in the Baramulla district alone identified as critical. These polling stations were equipped with 4,206 CCTV cameras for live webcasting, along with 50 additional cameras, at the main entrances.

The Baramulla constituency encompasses 18 Assembly segments, including six in Kupwara (Karnah, Trehgam, Kupwara, Lolab, Handwara, and Langate), seven in Baramulla (Sopore, Rafiabad, Uri, Baramulla, Gulmarg, Wagoora-Kreeri, and Pattan), three in Bandipora (Sonwari, Bandipora and Gurez), and two in Budgam post-delimitation.

Security measures were stringent, with extensive monitoring via CCTV and drone surveillance. Around 200 additional companies of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) were deployed. Since 1957, Baramulla has witnessed the representation of 11 different members in the Indian Parliament. The political landscape of Baramulla has seen notable diversity in terms of party affiliations over the years.

In 1957, Shaikh Mohammed Akbar of the Indian National Congress became the first representative, marking the beginning of its parliamentary journey. The subsequent elections in 1967 and 1971 maintained the Congress stronghold with Syed Ahmed Aga securing victory both times.

The political dynamics shifted in 1977 when Abdul Ahad Vakil of the Jammu & Kashmir National Conference emerged victorious, indicating a shift in the political winds of Baramulla. However, this change was short-lived as Khwaja Mubarak Shah from the Indian National Congress regained the seat in 1980.

The 1980s saw a seesaw battle between the Congress and the Jammu & Kashmir National Conference. Saifuddin Soz became a prominent figure, representing the National Conference in 1983, 1984, and 1989. This period marked a significant back-and-forth between the two major parties.

The 1996 election saw Ghulam Rasool Kar of the Indian National Congress take the helm, briefly interrupting the National Conference's dominance. However, Saifuddin Soz reclaimed his position in 1998, and Abdul Rashid Shaheen succeeded him in 1999 and 2004, consolidating the National Conference's hold once again.

The year 2009 brought a fresh face to the forefront with Sharifuddin Shariq representing the Jammu & Kashmir National Conference, continuing the party's legacy in Baramulla. However, the 2014 elections witnessed a significant shift when Muzaffar Hussain Baig of the Jammu & Kashmir People's Democratic Party emerged victorious, offering a new direction for the constituency.

In the latest parliamentary elections of 2019, Mohammad Akbar Lone of the Jammu & Kashmir National Conference reclaimed the seat, indicating a resurgence of the party's influence in Baramulla.

Meanwhile, Ladakh also witnessed a notable rise in voter participation, with an overall turnout of 67.15% by 5 pm. In Ladakh, Kargil reported the highest turnout at 71.45%, followed by Leh at 62.50%. The parliamentary constituency of Ladakh, the largest in the country by area, boasts over 1,84,000 voters. The majority of these voters, totalling 95,926, reside in the Kargil district, while 88,877 are located in the Leh district. The electoral competition featured three candidates: Tashi Gyalson from the BJP, Tsering Namgyal from the Congress and independent candidate Hanifa Jan.

Since 1967, Ladakh has seen the representation of 13 different members in the Indian Parliament. The political landscape of Ladakh reflects a blend of party affiliations, independent candidates and shifting alliances over the years.

The journey began in 1967 when Kushok Bakula, representing the Indian National Congress, became the first Member of Parliament from Ladakh, establishing the Congress's dominance in the region. This trend continued in the subsequent elections of 1971 with Bakula retaining his seat.

However, the political scenario witnessed a shift in 1977 when Parvati Devi, also from the Indian National Congress, emerged victorious, marking a brief interruption in the Congress reign in Ladakh. Nonetheless, the Congress regained its hold with Phuntsog Namgyal winning the elections in 1980 and 1984.

The elections of 1989 brought a new dynamic to Ladakh with Mohamad Hassan Commander winning as an independent candidate, signalling the electorate's inclination towards alternative voices outside the major parties. The 1996 elections saw the return of Phuntsog Namgyal from the Indian National Congress, highlighting the electorate's oscillation between established parties and independent candidates.

The late 1990s and early 2000s saw a surge in representation from the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference, with Syed Hussain and Hassan Khan winning in 1998 and 1999 respectively, showcasing a diversification of political representation in Ladakh.

The year 2004 marked a significant development with Thupstan Chhewang winning as an independent candidate, indicating a growing trend of voter support for candidates not aligned with major parties. Chhewang retained his seat in 2009, further solidifying the influence of independent voices in Ladakh.

In 2014, Ladakh witnessed a seismic shift in its political landscape when Thupstan Chhewang joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), aligning with the party's growing influence in the region.

The latest parliamentary elections of 2019 saw another BJP victory with Jamyang Tsering Namgyal emerging as the Member of Parliament, consolidating the BJP's foothold in Ladakh and reflecting the changing political dynamics in the region.