After lower turnout in Anantnag-Pulwama Lok Sabha seat in South Kashmir, Central Kashmir is going to poll on Wednesday amid tight security measures. Security has been beefed up across Central Kashmir while officials said adequate measures have been taken to ensure incident free polling.14 candidates are in fray in the constituency, but the main contest is between National Conference patron Dr Farooq Abdullah and PDP senior leader Tariq Hamid Karra. Besides, Aam Admi Party candidate Dr Raja Muzafar is also in the fray who is also expected to make inroads in the Constituency especially in certain belts of Budgam district. The other candidates who are in fray are Fayaz Ahmad Bhat of Bhartiya Janta Party, Mohammad Maqbool Malik of National Panthers Party, Mushtaq Shamim of Akhil Bhartiya Muslim League and Aga Syed Mohsin. Besides, Bashir Mohd Reshi, Chetan Sharma, Rabia Altaf, Riyaz Ahmad Wani, Abdul Rashid Tantary, Mohammad Shafi Guroo and Mirza Sajad Hussain Beigh are in the fray as independent candidates In 2009 Lok Sabha polls, 15 candidates were in the fray in Srinagar constituency. Dr Farooq had polled 147035 votes while PDP’s Moulvi Iftikhar Hussain Ansari bagged 116793 votes. The constituency spread over three districts – Srinagar, Budgam and Ganderbal has 15 Assembly segments. National Conference represents 12 of 15 assembly segments while PDP represents two and Peoples Democratic Front occupies one seat. 11,71,722 voters are registered with the Election department in Srinagar, Budgam and Ganderbal districts of Srinagar Parliamentary constituency. Srinagar tops the electoral population with 591977 voters followed by Budgam with 428799 voters and Ganderbal with 150976.
Political observers were expecting high voter turnout in Anantnag-Parliamentary seat this time around. However, killing of Panchayat members in Tral area of Pulwama district and clashes resulted in lower turnout of 28 percent. It remains to be seen how many people come out to vote this time around and cast votes in Central Kashmir.Meanwhile, security apparatus across the Central Kashmir has been beefed up ahead of the polling date.“241 additional companies of CRPF and the Sashatra Surakhsha Bal (SSB) have been deployed to ensure smooth conduct of polls,” spokesperson CRPF Kishor Prasad told CNS. Joint contingents of police and CRPF are frisking vehicles, particularly the Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) and two wheelers in almost all parts of Central Kashmir and the pedestrians are being asked to prove their identity. Sources said that Rashtriya Rifle (RR) battalions of army present in Budgam and Ganderbal have been asked to conduct night patrolling in their respective areas. Adequate security have been provided to polling staff especially in restive areas. A police official said, “in view of recent attacks, we have asked polling staff to remain under police security. They will be provided full security during night hours as well”. He said several nakas have been put in place in most of the areas to foil any attempt of violence.