Srinagar LS Seat Welcomes Two Lakh New First-Time Voters

Photo: KL

Asif Iqbal | May 7, 2024 | 10:01 AM IST | Jammu Kashmir, Politics, Srinagar | Follow on Google News

Srinagar LS Seat Welcomes Two Lakh New First-Time Voters

Srinagar LS Seat Welcomes Two Lakh New First-Time Voters

Srinagar Parliamentary Constituency having the highest number of candidates compared to other segments in Jammu and Kashmir is all set to witness an interesting showdown on May 13 when more than 17.4 lakh people are going to cast their ballots in five districts of the Valley.

Details reveal that a total of 17,43,845 electorates are going to decide the fate of the 24 candidates in the fray for the Lok Sabha polls in Srinagar seat.

Of total, over 2.0 lakh are the first-time voters, who are in the age group of 18-20 and will be exercising their franchise for the first time on May 13, 2024.

According to reports, there are 8,73,426 males and 8,70,368 females while 51 others are transgender.

Officials said that the arrangements have been almost finalized for 2135 Polling Stations, set up at 1323 locations in 18 Assembly Segments. The Assembly Segments include 17-Kangan and 18-Ganderbal, 19-Hazratbal, 20-Khanyar, 21-Habbakadal, 22-LalChowk, 23-Chanapora, 24-Zadibal, 25-Eidgah 26-Central Shalteng, 29-Khansahib, 30-Char-i-Sharief, 31-Chadoora, 32-Pampore, 33-Tral, 34-Pulwama, 35-Rajpora and 37-Shopian.

Pertinently, Srinagar constituency has been the bastion of the National Conference (NC) as the candidates from the party have secured the seat 12 times so far out of 15 parliamentary elections since 1947.

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The party has faced a defeat once only so far in 2014 when Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Tariq Hameed Karra defeated his rival Dr Farooq Abdullah.

However, the party didn’t field its candidates in 1996 Lok Sabha elections and also supported an Independent candidate, S A Shamim in 1971. He was supported by “Mahaz Raishumari Front” headed by Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah.

The constituency is expected to witness a tough competition in the upcoming polls while the prominent candidates including National Conference’s Aga Syed Ruhulla Mehdi, PDP’s Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra and Apni Party’s Muhammad Ashraf Mir are vying for the seat.

Returning Officer (RO), Srinagar Parliamentary Constituency, Dr Bilal Mohi-ud-din told KNO the arrangements are being finalized, saying that the web casting and micro observers will be kept at all the polling stations.

He further stated that the voter awareness under the SVEEP campaign is in full swing and they are expecting a massive voter turnout in this election. “This time around, there is a great enthusiasm among the voters as laws passed in the parliament will be applicable on J&K as well,” he said.(KNO)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by VoM News staff and is published from syndicated feed)

Asif Iqbal

Asif Iqbal is a seasoned news writer with a passion for delivering the latest updates to the public. Currently serving as the senior writer at VoM News, a prominent news outlet known for its comprehensive coverage of diverse topics, Asif has established himself as a reliable source of information. With a keen eye for detail and a knack for storytelling, he consistently provides readers with well-crafted articles that cover a wide range of news categories. His dedication to journalistic integrity and his commitment to staying ahead of the news curve make him an invaluable asset to Vom News, ensuring that readers are always well-informed on the issues that matter most. You can find his work and stay updated on current events by visiting vomnews.in.