SRINAGAR: With the Lok Sabha election 2024 process complete, the counting of votes will start Tuesday morning. Authorities have established nine vote counting centres for five constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir. While migrant votes will be counted separately, the votes polled for the Anantnag – Rajouri constituency are being counted at two places.
The vote counting, scheduled for June 4, will determine the fate of 100 candidates, including senior BJP leader and Union Minister Jitendra Singh, BJP two-time MP Jugal Sharma, and former Chief Ministers Omar Abdullah of National Conference (NC) and Mehbooba Mufti of People’s Democratic Party (PDP). Other notable candidates include former Ministers Raman Bhalla and Choudhary Lal Singh of Congress, GM Saroori of DPAP, Aga Ruhullah Mehdi and Mian Altaf of NC, Ashraf Mir of Apni Party, and Sajjad Lone of People’s Conference. Former MLA Engineer Rashid is contesting from Tihar Jail.
Officials confirmed that all necessary arrangements, including security and staffing, have been made at the counting centres. The overall voter turnout was 58.46 per cent, the highest in 35 years. The voter turnout in the three parliamentary constituencies in the Kashmir Valley was 50.86 per cent, a significant increase from 19.16 per cent in the 2019 general elections.
Srinagar, Baramulla, and Anantnag-Rajouri recorded voter turnouts of 38.49 per cent, 59.1 per cent and 54.84 per cent respectively, the highest in three decades. Udhampur and Jammu in the Jammu region saw turnouts of 68.27 per cent and 72.22 per cent, respectively.
In Udhampur, where Union Minister Jitendra Singh seeks a third term, votes will be counted at Government Degree College, Kathua. Singh is up against 11 other candidates, including two-time former MP Lal Singh and GM Saroori.
Baramulla’s vote counting will be held at Government Degree College (Boys), Baramulla. Omar Abdullah faces 21 candidates, including prominent figures Sajjad Lone and Engineer Rashid. Among the 14 Independents, two are women.
In the Anantnag-Rajouri constituency, divided by the Pir Panjal range, votes will be counted at Government Degree College (Boys), Anantnag, and Government PG College, Rajouri. Mehbooba Mufti faces a significant challenge from NC’s Mian Altaf, alongside 10 Independents and eight other candidates, including BJP-supported Apni Party’s Zaffar Manhas.
The Srinagar constituency, with the highest number of 24 candidates, will have votes counted at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Center (SKICC) along the banks of Dal Lake. Strong candidates include NC’s Agha Ruhullah, Ashraf Mir of Apni Party, and PDP youth leader Waheed Para.
In Jammu, where BJP’s Jugal Kishore aims for a third consecutive win, counting will take place at Government Polytechnic College and Government MAM College. Raman Bhalla, working president of the J&K unit of Congress, is among the 21 other candidates.
Counting of Kashmiri migrant votes will be conducted at Government College for Women, Gandhi Nagar, Jammu; Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Udhampur; and JK House, New Delhi.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Pandurang K Pole chaired a review meeting on Sunday to ensure district preparedness for the vote counting. The meeting, attended virtually by district election officers and assistant returning officers, focused on arrangements for counting, security, and welfare provisions for polling personnel.
The CEO directed officials to ensure adequate arrangements for counting postal ballots, electronically transmitted postal ballot systems (ETPBS), and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips. Emphasis was placed on training officials to maintain decorum and ensuring CCTV and videography at the centres.
Ten counting centres have been established for the Lok Sabha polls in Jammu and Kashmir, including:
Government Degree College (Boys), Baramulla for Baramulla constituency,
Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) for Srinagar constituency,
Government Degree College (Boys), Anantnag and Government PG College, Rajouri for Anantnag-Rajouri constituency,
Government Degree College, Kathua for Udhampur constituency,
Government Polytechnic College and Government MAM College, Jammu for the Jammu constituency,
Government College for Women, Gandhi Nagar, Jammu for ARO Migrant Jammu,
Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Udhampur for ARO Migrant Udhampur,
and 5 Prithviraj Road J&K House, New Delhi for ARO Migrant Delhi
