In Srinagar, authorities have orchestrated the establishment of 21 polling stations along with eight supplementary centers in Jammu to accommodate migrant voters partaking in the May 25 election for the Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary seat. Approximately 27,000 Kashmiri Pandits, residing in camps such as Jagti in Jammu, are entitled to cast their votes at these designated locations.
Previously, during the elections for the Srinagar and Baramulla parliamentary seats, a mere trio of auxiliary polling stations was set up. The considerable influx of migrant voters for the Anantnag-Rajouri seat prompted the administration to augment the number of polling stations.
The Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary constituency spans 18 assembly segments, boasting a substantial voter base of 1,830,294 individuals, comprising 930,379 men, 899,888 women, and 27 third-gender voters.
Election Commission officials remarked, “In response to the voluminous count of migrant voters for the Anantnag-Rajouri seat, we have bolstered the auxiliary polling stations to enhance voter facilitation. These eight centers are strategically positioned within the primary polling stations to expedite the voting procedure. The majority of migrant voters have opted for postal ballots under the ‘Vote for Home’ initiative.”
Initially, the polling for this seat was slated for May 7, during the third phase of the elections. However, on April 30, the Election Commission, after assessing the appeals of political entities and the prevailing ground conditions, deferred the polling date to May 25, aligning it with the sixth phase.
Among the contenders vying for this seat is former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, alongside 19 other candidates. The National Conference has nominated Mian Altaf Ahmad, while the Apni Party’s candidate is Zafar Manhas. The primary rivalry is anticipated to be between Mehbooba and Altaf.
The Anantnag-Rajouri seat holds strategic significance for the BJP. Despite not fielding a direct candidate, the BJP has implicitly endorsed the Apni Party in this electoral battle.