Campaigning ends for April 24 bypoll in Kashmir

Baramulla, Apr 22 (UNI) The incident-free campaigning for the April 24 by-elections in three Assembly constituencies of Pattan, Rafiabad and Sangrama in Jammu andKashmir's Baramulla district ended this evening.

As many as 15 candidates are in the fray for the bypoll. While four candidates each are contesting from Pattan and Rafiabad seats, Sangrama will witness a fight between seven contestants.

An estimated 1,98,817 electorate, including 96,010 women, are expected to exercise their franchise in the three constituencies.

There are 1559 migrant voters also.

Out of the total 76,355 voters in Pattan constituency, 39,312 are men and 37,043 women. Similarly in Rafiabad, there are 67,011 electorate out of which 34,697 are men and 32,314 women.

In Sangrama constituency, out of the total 55,451 voters, 28,798 are men and 26,653 women. In all, there are 1,98,817 voters out of which 1,02,807 are men and 96,010 women.

About 103 polling booths have been declared as hyper-sensitive and 161 as sensitive in the three Assembly constituencies. Out of the total 264 polling stations in three seats, 91 each are in Pattan and Rafiabad and 82 in Sangrama consitituencies.

In Pattan, 32 polling stations have been declared as hyper- sensitive and 59 sensitive while in Rafiabad 31 are hyper-senstive and 60 sensitive. In Sangrama constituency, 40 polling booths were declared hyper-sensitive and 42 as sensitive.

In view of the high degree of threat perception and directions of the Election Commission, the authorities had deployed additional security forces in the three Assembly constituencies.

All the contesting candidates, irrespective of their party affiliations, had been provided with adequate security. The Election Commission had earlier directed the state government to provide adequate security and safe accommodation to the candidates.

It also called for intensive area domination by security forces in segments, especially in the light of the poll boycott call given by several separatist groups, so that the people have the confidence to exercise their franchise in a free and fair manner.

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