Decks cleared for over 5.22 lakh Pulwama, Shopian voters to exercise franchise on May 6

Srinagar: The Pulwama and Shopian districts of South Kashmir are slated to go to polls in the three-phase schedule for Anantnag Parliamentary constituency on May 06, 2019.
Over 5.22 lakh electors are going to exercise their franchise in the twin districts spread over six assembly segments comprising Tral, Pampore, Pulwama, Rajpora, Wachi and Shopian. As many as 695 polling stations have been established across the districts for smooth conduct of the elections.
These Southern Kashmir Districts have 522,530 electors including 271,127 males, 250,735 females, 657 service electors (646 males and 11 females) and 11 transgender voters.
Pulwama District has 351,314 electors including 181,259 males, 169,508 females, 541 service electors (533 male and 08 female) and 06 transgender voters. For smooth polling, the ECI has set up 450 polling stations across the district.
District Pulwama comprises four assembly segments of Tral, Pampore, Pulwama and Rajpora.
Rajpora Assembly segment has the highest number of 95,633 electors including 49,808 males, 45,738 females and 87 male service voters while as Pampore has the lowest 82,188 electors, including 41,929 males, 40,230 females, 24 male service voters and five transgender voters.
Tral assembly segment has 88,617 electors 45,637 males, 42, 650 females, 329 service voters (324 male and 5 female) and single transgender voter.
Pulwama assembly segment has 84,876 electors, including 43885 males, 40,890 females and 101 service voters (98 male and three females).
Similarly, Shopian District has 171,216 electors including 89,868 males, 81,227 females, 116 service electors (113 male and 03 female) and five transgender voters. For smooth polling, the ECI has set up 245 polling stations across the district.
Wachi assembly segment has 83,532 electors including 43,848 males, 39,614 females, 66 service voters (63 males and 3 females) and four transgender voters.
Shopian assembly segment has 87,684 electors, including 46,020 males, 41,613 females, 50 male service voters, and a single transgender voter.
The candidates in the fray are Hasnain Masoodi of Jammu Kashmir National Conference, Sofi Yousuf of Bhartiya Janta Party, Ghulam Ahmad Mir of Indian National Congress, Mehbooba Mufti of Jammu Kashmir People’s Democratic Party, Nisar Ahmad Wani of Jammu & Kashmir National Panthers Party, Choudhary Zaffar Ali of Jammu Kashmir People’s Conference, Sanjay Kumar Dhar of Manav Adhikar Party, Surinder Singh of Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia) and Imtiyaz Ahmad Rather, Ridwana Sanam, Riyaz Ahmad Bhat, Zubair Masoodi, Shams Khwaja, Ali Mohammad Wani, Ghulam Mohammad Wani, Kyasir Ahmed Sheikh, Manzoor Ahmad Khan and Mirza Sajad Hussain Beigh, all independents.
The Anantnag Parliamentary Constituency is spread over four districts comprising Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian and Pulwama.
The Anantnag and Kulgam districts of Anantnag PC went to polls on April 23 and April 29 respectively. The voting timing has been fixed from 7 am to 4 pm.