Jammu/Doda/Kathua, Apr 19 (KNO): The electorates from Udhampur Parliamentary Constituency Friday set the tone for the Lok Sabha elections after over 68.27 per cent voters exercised their franchise in the first phase of seven-phased general elections in 18 assembly segments.
As per the details available with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Udhampur has recorded the highest voter turnout with 70.76 per cent while Banihal on the other hand recorded the lowest turnout with 59.1 per cent only.
The overall voting percentage was 68.27 per cent which include 70.76 per cent in Udhampur district, 66.42 per cent in Doda district, 70.06 per cent in Kathua district, 62.42 per cent in Ramban district and 67.75 per cent in Kishtwar district.
The polling percentage in the constituency was less today compared to 2019 general elections when the turnout stood at 70.02 per cent.
Udhampur Lok Sabha seat consists of 18 assembly segments including Udhampur West, Udhampur East, Chenani and Ramnagar (SC) of Udhampur, Bani, Billawar, Basohli, Jasrota, Kathua (SC) and Hiranagar of Kathua, Inderwal, Kishtwar and Padder–Nagseni of Kishtwar, Bhadarwah, Doda and Doda West of Doda and Ramban and Banihal of Ramban.
As per the official data shared by District Electoral Officers (DEOs) of Doda and Ramban, 63.02 in Bhaderwah, 68.14 in Doda, 69.36 percent in Doda West, 59.1 percent in Banihal, 66.7 percent in Ramban.
The Chief Election Officer (CEO) however, didn’t provide any breakup of Udhampur, Kathua and Kishtwar districts.
People in all the five districts, Kathua, Udhampur, Ramban, Doda and Kishtwar, came out in large numbers despite inclement weather conditions and voted in favour of their candidates.
Pertinently, the constituency has 1,623,195 registered voters including 845,283 male, 777,899 female and 13 transgender electors.
Out of these 18 assembly segments, polling percentage remained below 60 per cent in Banihal where it stood at 59.1 percent. Of total 122,596 votes, only 72,434 votes were polled in Banihal.
In Ramban Assembly segment, 64,391 votes were polled out of the total 96528 votes, which is 66.7 percent of the total votes. In 2019 general elections, the voting percentage in Banihal stood at 50.9 percent, which was the lowest in Udhampur parliamentary constituency.
With the first light of the day, polling parties started mock polling and at sharp 7 am, first vote was polled in most of the polling stations and the first person was welcomed with a rose by the polling parties. Since morning people thronged to the polling stations alongwith their families and some came beating drums and dancing on different tunes.
Rain played a spoilsport in hilly areas in the entire constituency with people waiting it to stop so that they can reach to their respective polling stations to cast their votes.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) had put every effort in place to ensure that polling parties as well as electorates face no hardships in casting their votes.
Meanwhile, the first phase of election in Udhampur seat witnessed a direct contest between Bharatiya Janta Party’s (BJP) Dr. Jitendra Singh and Congress Party’s Choudhary Lal Singh.
As Jitendra Singh sought votes on the work done by Prime Minister Narendra Modi but during his campaign the allegations of disconnect with the people haunted him.
Choudary Lal Singh on the other hand tried to exploit the loopholes left by the incumbent MP, who was Minister of State (MoS) in PMO as well—(KNO)