AATIF QAYOOM / SHAFAT MALIK
Srinagar, Dec 05: The re-poll in Hajin-A and Drugmulla District Development Council constituencies of North Kashmir’s Bandipora and Kupwara districts on Monday concluded efficiently with a total voter turnout of 43 percent.
Despite cold temperatures, individuals were observed in extended queues outside polling stations, toughing out the morning chilliness to exercise their right to vote.
The ballot began at 7 a.m. in the morning and ended seamlessly at 2 p.m. without any untoward events in the constituency.
According to official data obtained by Rising Kashmir, out of 16,313 qualified voters, 4,708 men and 3,982 women voted, accounting for 53 percent of the vote in the Hajin constituency of Bandipora district.
An official told Rising Kashmir that 57 polling stations were designated at 12 different locations in the constituency.
In comparison to Hajin, Kupwara’s Drugmulla constituency saw less voting, with around 33% of the vote cast.
As per a senior official, 32,000 voters were registered in this DDC constituency, and 42 polling booths were set up. The officer said among them, 10724 votes were polled. Among them, 5624 were male voters, while 5100 were female voters.
He said that all the requisite arrangements were in place, including manpower, election material, and security arrangements in all polling areas.
The DDC elections were conducted in Jammu and Kashmir in December 2020. Nevertheless, due to the disputed eligibility of two contestants, the counting of ballots was suspended in Drugmulla in Kupwara and Hajin-A in Bandipora.
Subsequently, the state election commission (SEC) declared the voting in these districts null and void, annulling the candidatures of Somnia Sadaf and Shazia Aslam, citing inaccurate data concerning the place of origin of the individuals from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
