New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday congratulated electors in the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha constituency in the Kashmir Valley, as it recorded the highest voter turnout in the last 35 years in this year’s general elections.
“A very special congratulations to my sisters and brothers of Anantnag-Rajouri for the record turnout in the Lok Sabha polls. Their enthusiastic participation is a vibrant testament to their democratic spirit,” PM Modi posted on X. According to the latest figure from the Election Commission, the constituency on Saturday recorded 54.3 per cent voter turnout. The voter turnout in the constituency was 14.3 per cent in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
In this year’s elections, the other two parliamentary constituencies in the valley – Srinagar (38.49 per cent), Baramulla (59.1 per cent)- have also recorded voter turnouts that are the highest in several decades.
Overall, the voter turnout in the three PCs in the valley is 50.63 per cent (Anantnag Rajouri at 5 pm) in the current General Elections, compared to 19.16 per cent in 2019.
On Saturday, the Commission led by CEC Rajiv Kumar and ECs Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu said, “People of Jammu and Kashmir, in the Anantnag Rajouri PC polling too, have reposed faith in democracy and proved naysayers wrong.” Polling took place in 2338 polling stations across the Anantnag-Rajouri Parliamentary constituency with live webcasting at the polling stations. A total of 20 candidates including two women contested for the Lok Sabha seat from Anantnag-Rajouri. The Commission also enabled Kashmiri migrant voters residing at various relief camps in Delhi, Jammu, and Udhampur to have the option of voting in person at designated special polling stations or using postal ballot. 21 Special Polling Stations were established at Jammu, 1 at Udhampur and 4 at Delhi.
