Jammu & Kashmir Election: PDP, NC Blame Centre For Lower Voter Turnout In Second Phase Of Polling

On Thursday, September 26, 2024, the National Conference (NC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) slammed the Centre for the lower voter turnout during the second phase of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, which took place on Wednesday, September 25.

Omar Abdullah, NC's vice-president, voiced his disappointment with the voter turnout, particularly in Srinagar, reported The Hindu.

He remarked, "The turnout was less compared to what we expected. It's the fault of Central government for comparing high poll percentage (in the previous phase) with normalcy and calling it the effect of Article 370 removal. I think the low voter turnout was the reaction to it in Srinagar."

Abdullah explained that people in Srinagar avoided voting in large numbers to avoid sending a misleading signal of normalcy and acceptance of the abrogation of Article 370.

He added, "They made another mistake of bringing those diplomats to show the higher percentage of voting, but people of Srinagar didn't want that to happen."

Looking ahead to the third and final phase of voting on October 1, Abdullah expressed hope for better voter participation, particularly in regions like Baramulla, Bandipora, and Kupwara, where, according to him, people have faced challenging circumstances to vote.

He said, "People across Baramulla, Bandipora and Kupwara have voted in difficult situation. We expect a good voter turnout this time too."

Waheed-ur-Rehmaan Parra, a PDP leader, attributed the lower voter turnout in Srinagar to the Centre's harsh policies. He pointed to the government's stringent measures against the PDP, which he claimed had discouraged voter participation.

"For those questioning the low turnout in Srinagar: the years-long crackdown on PDP, the splitting of its cadres, and the fragmentation of the Opposition into three factions have pushed voters away rather than encourage (their) participation," Parra stated.

The second phase of the elections recorded a turnout of about 57%, a slight drop from the 61.13% turnout seen in the first phase. Official data indicated that 20 out of the 26 Assembly constituencies that voted in the second phase had lower turnout rates compared to the 2014 Assembly elections.