Srinagar: The byelections in two District Development Council (DDC) constituencies in north Kashmir on Monday recorded 43% voting and reflected a split in the Peoples Alliance in Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), an amalgam of four political parties fighting for pre-August 5, 2019 position of J&K.
“Around 43% voting was recorded in the two constituencies that saw re-polling in the Kashmir division of the Union Territory. 53.33 voter percentage was recorded in Hajin-A, a constituency in Bandipora district, and 32.73% was recorded in Drugmulla constituency in Kupwara district,” an official spokesman said.
Out of 10,724 votes polled in Dragmulla, 5,624 were from men and 5,100 from women. “141 migrant votes were also cast at special polling stations for Kashmiri migrants set up at G.M.S. Jagti, G.G.H.S. Patta Bohri and G.M.S. Model Higher Secondary school, Udhampur,” the spokesman said.
The Dragmulla seat is reserved for women. Ten candidates were in the fray here. In Hajin-A, out of 16,313 votes, 8,669 electors — 4,717 men and 3,982 women — cast their votes. The counting for both constituencies will be held on December 8.
Unlike the DDC elections held in December 2020, the electoral tie-up within the Gupkar alliance fell apart this time. The alliance, which fielded joint candidates, had won the highest around 110 constituencies out of 280 in 2020.
This time, PAGD candidate Shabnum Lone contested with the support of Sajad Lone’s Peoples Conference (PC). In 2020, Ms. Lone was a joint PAGD candidate from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Ms. Lone, however, switched the party and joined the PC after her close relative Fayaz Mir, a former PDP member of parliament, joined Mr. Lone’s party fold.
In Hajin, there was no joint candidate fielded by the PAGD this time. Instead, all political parties, including the PDP and National Conference (NC), were seen weighing in for independent candidates rather than the joint candidate fielded last time.
It should be noted that women belonging to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir participated as candidates in the DDC elections held in 2020 and won these seats. However, the State Election Commission questioned the citizenship of these two women and canceled the elections.
These women came to Kashmir along with their husbands under the resettlement policy of former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. The Election Commission had said that the said women had not given the details of Pakistani citizenship in the nomination papers.
