Baramulla: The Baramulla parliamentary constituency in Jammu and Kashmir has recorded the all-time highest voter turnout of 59 per cent, J&K Chief Electoral Officer Pandurang Kondbarao Pole said during a press conference on Monday, May 20.
Pole provided a historical comparison of polling percentages for the constituency:
2019: 34.57%
2014: 39.13%
2009: 41.84%
2004: 35.65%
1999: 27.79%
1998: 41.94%
1996: 46.65%
Around 17,37,865 electors were supposed to cast their ballots at 2,103 polling stations across the constituency during the fifth phase of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections on Monday.
The constituency saw 22 candidates contesting, including prominent figures such as National Conference (NC) vice-president and ex-CM Omar Abdullah, People’s Conference president Sajad Gani Lone, Mir Fayaz Ahmed of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Er Rashid of the Awami Ittihad Party (AIP), among others.
In the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha elections 2024, voter turnout in the Baramulla parliamentary elections hovered around 59.49 per cent.
‘Voting for children’s bright future’
Breaking the election boycott trend, Sopore, Palhallan, and Old Town, the areas of Baramulla district that used to be the hotbed of militancy for decades, participated in the ongoing electoral process with much enthusiasm and zeal.
Siasat.com interacted with the voters, who, for the first time cast their votes in favour of their favorite candidates.
Salaam, an elderly man, said that they came forward today for their children. He said it’s not all about the current peaceful situation; it’s about the bright future of their children.
A group of women who were seen in long lines said that this time they would break the record. They want their representative in parliament to fight for them, for their well-being, and the bright future of their children.
Many first-time voters said they were fed up with the old culture of boycotting elections. However, this time it’s not just an election for them but a ray of hope for their bright future.
A group of voters in the Palhallan area of Pattan told Siasat.com that they voted for the first time for development and change. “For decades, we were always away from the democratic process, but this time we came forward and cast vote for the development of their area and the safety and protection of our children,” one of them said.
Voters in the old town of Baramulla said they don’t want to be victims of underdevelopment and violence. They want their representative to go to parliament and fight for their suffering. They want change, peace, prosperity, and development.
Families of militants cast vote
With the changing political scenario in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, not only are people coming forward to cast their votes for the first time, but families of militants have also joined the momentum for development, peace, and prosperity.
Rouf Ahmad, the brother of active militant Omar from the Wussan area of Pattan, said that he has come forward to cast his vote for development. He emphasised that voting is a right, and everyone should exercise this right.
Abdul Qayoom, father of another active militant, said, “My son may have chosen the wrong path, but for the bright future of the younger generation, we can secure their future by casting our votes, a right that everyone should exercise.”
In the Brath village of Sopore, the family of active militant Bilal Ahmad Mir also cast their vote.
One of the brothers of active militant Dawood Ahmad Mir, after casting his vote, stated that they need change; they need to do something for their young generation for their bright future.
In the same village, another family whose son, Omar Mir, is an active militant today, also cast their vote and became part of the electoral process.
In the 1996 Lok Sabha elections, the Baramulla parliamentary constituency recorded a voter turnout of 46.65 percent.
Er Rashid as ‘potential disruptor’
Significantly, after the entry of jailed leader Er Rashid into the contest from Baramulla, the constituency has become the centre of attention during this election.
Rashid has been seen as a potential disruptor since the very first day of campaigning, and his candidacy has sent ripples through the political arena. Both the National Conference (NC) and Peoples Conference view Rashid’s candidacy as a threat to their electoral prospects in the region, where the political dynamics are already complex.
With Congress backing NC’s Omar and Sajad and garnering support from parties aligned with the BJP, accusations and counter-accusations were commonplace. However, Rashid’s candidacy, spearheaded by his 26-year-old son, has made the contest interesting.
| 
