Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and other election material being shifted to the counting centre from a strong room, a day after voting in the second phase of J&K Assembly elections, at Mendhar, in Poonch district, Jammu & Kashmir, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024.
PTI
Srinagar: In a surprising turn of events, 15 assembly seats in Srinagar, Budgam and Ganderbal districts of Kashmir and 11 assembly segments of Jammu region which went to polls in the second phase of elections on Wednesday recorded almost a 10 percent decrease in voter turnout compared to the 2014 assembly polls.
This decline across the Union Territory came as a surprise, particularly after the enthusiasm during the Lok Sabha elections in April-May 2024, recent political engagement and a desire for change among the electorate - which had raised expectations for a robust voter response in the assembly elections.
According to the Election Commission figures, the voting percentage in Srinagar, Budgam and Ganderbal accounted for 48.27 percent while it was 57.01 percent in 2014. In 2014, Srinagar district’s eight constituencies recorded 27.9 percent polling and this time it was 27.03%, down by 0.9 percent.
Similarly, the figures reveal that in 2014, Budgam district’s five constituencies recorded a 74.2% polling which decreased to 58.97%, down by around 16 percent this time. In Ganderbal district’s two constituencies, the polling percentage came down from 68.95 percent in 2014 to 58.81 percent in 2024.
In Jammu region’s 11 assembly segments spread over three militancy hit districts of – Rajouri, Poonch and Reasi, which went to polls in the second phase, although the turnout ranged between 68 to 80 percent, it was still almost 10 percent down as compared to 2014 Assembly polls.
However, the polling process concluded peacefully in all the three districts having the presence of a number of foreign terrorists.
NC leader and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah attributed the low turnout to the central government's attempts to showcase normalcy in Kashmir by bringing foreign delegates.
“People of Srinagar didn't want to send a message by projecting it (polling) as normalcy and acceptance of Article 370 abrogation. They made another mistake of bringing those diplomats to show the higher percentage of voting, but people of Srinagar didn't want that to happen,” he told reporters.
Political analysts pointed to several factors that may have contributed to this drop in turnout. The lingering effects of political instability and security concerns combined with a sense of disillusionment regarding the effectiveness of past governments, seemed to weigh heavily on the minds of potential voters.
The unexpected decline in voter turnout serves as a stark reminder of the complexities surrounding electoral politics in the region. It highlights the need for political parties to not only campaign vigorously but also to genuinely address the concerns of the electorate to foster trust and engagement in future elections.