Baramulla in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday recorded a voter turnout of 54 per cent till 5 pm in the fifth phase of Lok Sabha elections. It is the highest ever polling percentage in the constituency for any parliamentary election since 1984.
Forty years ago, Baramulla had recorded a voter turnout of 61 per cent. National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah, People's Conference president Sajad Gani Lone and jailed head of the Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) Sheikh Abdul Rashid alias Engineer Rashid are among the key candidates in the fray.
In 2019, Baramulla had recorded a voter turnout of 34.6 per cent. In 2014 general elections, the poll percentage was 39.14 per cent.
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Earlier in the day, voters thronged in large numbers to cast their votes in Soibugh, the home town of Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin. The town lies in the Budgam district of central Kashmir and is part of the Baramulla constituency.
"The situation has improved and fear faded and that is a good omen for democracy. The people mostly did not vote in the past due to the threat to their lives but, this time, brisk voting is taking place without interference from any quarters," Abdul Ahad Bhat, a local villager, told PTI after casting vote.
Mohammad Yawar, another voter, said unemployment is one of the biggest issues the people are facing, along with increased power bills.
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"We are getting electricity bills more than our consumption. Since there is no government in place for over five years and Jammu and Kashmir is run by the Lt Governor-led administration, we are unable to raise our voice," he said.
Jammu and Kashmir is voting for the first time after the Narendra Modi government ended the special status for the erstwhile state following the abrogation of Article 370. The counting of votes will take place on June 4.
(With agency inputs)