Srinagar, May 25(KINS): The Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha constituency saw the start of polling this morning, with 20 candidates, including former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, competing in the concluding phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Polling began at 7 a.m. in the constituency, which covers 18 assembly segments across Kulgam, Anantnag, Poonch, Shopian, and Rajouri districts.
Officials noted a steady influx of voters at numerous polling stations.
Over 18.36 lakh voters are eligible to participate, including more than 500 centenarians and about 18,000 differently-abled individuals.
The voter demographic consists of 9,33,647 males, 9,02,902 females, and 27 individuals from the third-gender category.
Voting will continue until 6 p.m.
To support the electoral process, the Election Commission has set up 2,338 polling stations, manned by over 9,000 staff. This includes 17 “pink” polling stations managed by women, 15 by differently-abled staff, eight by young volunteers, and 15 designated as “green” polling stations. Additionally, 19 polling stations are located in the border regions of Rajouri and Poonch.
Mehbooba Mufti, leader of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), aims to return to Parliament after her defeat in the 2019 elections.
She faces significant opposition from Mian Altaf Ahmad of the National Conference, a notable Gujjar leader and former minister.
Also in contention are the Apni Party’s Zafar Iqbal Manhas, who has the backing of the Bharatiya Janata Party in the Pir Panjal region, and Mohammad Saleem Parray from the Democratic Progressive Azad Party, led by former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad.
This election, originally scheduled for May 7, was postponed due to adverse weather conditions.KINS)
Voting Underway in Anantnag-Rajouri
