Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Anantnag-Rajouri voters come out in droves as over 35% turnout recorded till 1 pm

Srinagar: Continuing the spirit of high participation in earlier phases of the Lok Sabha elections, voters of Anantnag-Rajouri Parliamentary constituency in Jammu and Kashmir are overwhelmingly thronging the polling stations to cast their ballots on Saturday.

Voting commenced at 7 am and will continue till 6 pm. The voters, braving the unexpected hot weather, are queuing up enthusiastically to exercise their franchise.

Till 1 pm, 35.61 per cent polling was recorded across Anantnag-Rajouri amid elaborate security arrangements in place for the voters and the election staff.

The fate of 20 candidates will be decided by 18.36 lakh voters which includes 9,33,647 male, 9,02,902 female and 27 third-gender voters. The voters also include 17,967 persons with disabilities and 540 centenarians.

The constituency spans five districts of Kulgam, Anantnag, Shopian in south Kashmir and Rajouri and Poonch, also called Pir Panjal region in Jammu. Notably, 19 border polling stations are located in the districts of Rajouri and Poonch, emphasizing the diverse and strategic nature of the area.

Earlier in the day People's Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti, who is contesting from the seat, alleged that her party workers and polling agents were being detained by police “without any reason.”

She also claimed that complaints regarding the efforts to “tamper the EVMs” are being received. However, the police said detentions are very few and restricted only to those with a tainted past, based on inputs of potential threats to security on polling day.

Mehbooba, a former chief minister, also claimed that outgoing calls on her cell phone have been suspended without any explanation.

The polling on all five seats of J&K Union Territory and one seat in Ladakh UT will end today in the sixth phase of General Elections.