LS polls 2024: Kashmir sees highest turnout since 1996, says EC

In a tectonic shift and noticeable change in Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar, which voted for the first time in the Lok Sabha Elections post-Article 370 era on Monday (May 13), the parliamentary constituency has witnessed highest voter turnout of over 35.97 per cent till 7 pm since 1996. It is more than double the turnout of nearly 14.43 per cent in the 2019 elections. It breached the 2014 turnout of 25.86 per cent as well. The polling began at 7 am amid tight security in the fourth phase of polls in which 17.48 lakh voters are eligible to use their franchise in the city.

Polling was incident free without any calls of poll boycott.

According to the latest Election Commission data at 7 pm, the following are voting percentages in the city

Central Shalteng - 24.76 per cent

Chadoora - 46.60 per cent

Char-e-Shareef - 53.23 per cent

Channapora - 22.97 per cent

Eidgah - 25.68 per



cent

Ganderbal - 46.81 per cent

Habba Kadal - 13.25 per cent

Hazratbal - 26.28 per cent

Kangan (ST) - 55.55 per cent

Khan Sahib - 48.50 per cent

Khanyar - 23.06 per cent

Lal Chowk - 26.01 per cent

Pampore - 38.10 per cent

Pulwama - 39.25 per cent

Rajpora - 42.80 per cent

Shopian - 45.04 per cent

Tral - 37.52 per cent

Zadibal - 27.52 per cent

Overall: 35.97 per cent

Voting percentages in Srinagar in various general elections before the abrogation of Article 370:

1996: 40.94 per cent

1998: 30.06 per cent

1999: 11.93 per cent

2004: 18.57 per cent

2009: 25.55 per cent

2014: 25.86 per cent

2019: 14.43 per cent

Article 370 was abrogated in Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, 2019, ending the special status given to the erstwhile state, which is now a Union Territory.