In first phase of staggered elections, Anantnag records 13.61 per cent polling

A voter turnout of 13.61 per cent was recorded Tuesday in the Anantnag Parliamentary constituency where polls are being held in three phases due to security reasons.

The Anantnag district of the constituency went to polls in the first phase, while voting in the Kulgam district of the constituency will be held on April 29 and in Pulwama and Shopian districts on May 6.

"The polling percentage in Anantnag district, of Anantnag Parliamentary constituency, which went to polls today (Tuesday), has been recorded at 13.61 per cent," Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Shailendra Kumar told reporters here.

Kumar said the polling remained peaceful. He complimented all stakeholders for the smooth conduct of the polls in the district which comprises six assembly segments: Anantnag, Bijbehara, Dooru, Kokernag, Pahalgam, and Shangus.

Giving details of the poll percentage, the CEO said the Pahalgam assembly segment witnessed the highest poll percentage of 20.37 per cent (17,649 votes polled), while Bijbehara recorded the lowest percentage of 2.04 per cent (1,905 votes).

The Anantnag assembly segment registered a poll percentage of 3.47 per cent (3,004 votes cast), Dooru 17.28 per cent (13,598 votes), Kokernag 19.5 per cent (18,312 votes), and Shangus 15.1 per cent (13,354 votes), he said.

Kumar said a total of 71,777 votes, including 4,101 migrant votes, were polled in the third phase of the polls.

"The exact figure will be clear tomorrow after evaluating all the M-forms (for migrant voters)," the CEO said.

He said the Tuesday's voting percentage in Anantnag district was less compared to 2014 Lok Sabha polls which had recorded 39.37 per cent.

He said an electorate of 5.27 lakh including 2.69 lakh male and 2.57 lakh female were voters eligible to cast their votes. He said 714 polling stations were set up across the district. Twenty-one polling stations were also set up for migrant voters.

The number of first-time voters for the district was 54,663, while 24,536 were in the age group of 18-21 years, Kumar said.