A day of peaceful polling in the prestigious Srinagar constituency ended in bloodshed again.
Twenty four year old, Bashir Ahmad Bhat was killed after security forces opened fire on a group of stone pelting youth in Srinagar's old city Nawakadal area.
The death was confirmed by Srinagar-based police spokesperson, who refused to give more details. The killing has led to widespread condemnation from mainstream leaders like Farooq Abdullah and CM Omar Abdullah and PDP's Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and his daughter Mehbooba Mufti. Separatists have given a shutdown call.
Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency recorded 26% turnout on Wednesday, almost the same as 25.55% in 2009.
Disclosing this at a press conference here, chief electoral officer (CEO) Umang Narula said 11.46% votes were cast in Srinagar, 39.5% in Budgam and 45.61% in Ganderbal districts, and figures of exact polling are being received from different areas of these districts, which would subsequently add up the final poll percentage. He said around 2,500 migrant voters also exercised their franchise in special polling booths set up in Jammu, Udhampur and Delhi.
The CEO said that as many as 1,546 polling stations were set up across the parliamentary constituency, which included 233 critical polling stations and 1,021 were hypersensitive. He also said that web casting was done in as many as 44 booths, besides 15 digital as well as 51 video cameras were installed for covering the voting process.
{{/usCountry}}The CEO said that as many as 1,546 polling stations were set up across the parliamentary constituency, which included 233 critical polling stations and 1,021 were hypersensitive. He also said that web casting was done in as many as 44 booths, besides 15 digital as well as 51 video cameras were installed for covering the voting process.
{{/usCountry}}Narula said 197 micro-observers were deployed for the parliamentary constituency. He said 14 candidates were in fray for the constituency which comprised 12.06 lakh electors covering 15 assembly segments.