Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Tight security arrangements in Kashmir before the counting of votes
Srinagar: Tight security arrangements have been made for the counting of votes for the three Lok Sabha constituencies of Kashmir and additional security personnel have been deployed at key places in the Valley, officials said on Monday. A three-tier security ring has been put around the counting centres in Srinagar, Baramulla and Anantnag to ensure that no unauthorised person can enter the premises, they said. Strict vigil is being maintained around the strong rooms housing the electronic voting machines since the polling ended in the respective constituencies. Polling for the five parliamentary constituencies of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir was held in multiple phases – April 19, April 26, May 13, May 20 and May 25. Ahead of the counting, the returning officers of the constituencies have held meetings with the contesting candidates, election agents and representatives of the political parties contesting in each Lok Sabha seat to familiarise them with the standard procedure of counting process prescribed by the Election Commission of India (ECI). The returning officer briefed the participants about the sequence of counting and procedures, including the process of EVMs, VVPATs and Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS).
An official spokesperson said regular announcements will be made through the public address system in the counting hall on the counting day.
66 candidates are in the fray for the three Lok Sabha seats in the Kashmir Valley. The key candidates for the three seats include PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah, separatist-turned-mainstream leader Sajad Gani Lone and former MLA Sheikh Abdul Rashid alias Engineer Rashid, who is currently lodged in Tihar jail in a UAPA case.
While Mufti is pitted against prominent Gujjar and National Conference leader Mian Altaf Ahmed on the Anantnag-Rajouri seat, Abdullah, Lone and Rashid are in a triangular contest for the Baramulla Lok Sabha seat. In the prestigious Srinagar Lok Sabha seat, both the National Conference and the PDP have fielded young faces in Agha Ruhullah and Waheed Parra respectively.The Kashmir Valley has witnessed a record voter turnout in these Lok Sabha elections, with over 50 per cent of voters exercising their franchise.Lok Sabha Elections 2024 | Will it be Narendra Modi’s ‘Developed India’ or Rahul Gandhi’s India? The world’s largest democracy is voting to choose its future, so watch live news, in-depth opinions and analysis only on Deccan Herald.Assembly Elections 2024 | Don’t miss our detailed coverage of elections in Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. Subscribe and follow DH on WhatsApp, X, Facebook and Instagram to never miss a beat.
