13.61% voter turnout in Anantnag in first phase of elections

Pahalgam: The Anantnag district of southern Kashmir witnessed a low voter turnout of 13.61% on Tuesday where the polling is being conducted in three phases due to the volatile security situation.

While the peripheral areas saw voters come out in moderate numbers, the main towns including Anantnag and Bijbehara — hometown of People’s Democratic Party candidate and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti — mostly stayed away from the polls. Bijbehara witnessed a meager voter turnout of 2.04% and Anantnag saw 3.47% turnout. Out of the 5.27 lakh voters, only 71,777 came to vote.The Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency remained vacant for three years as the by-elections couldn’t be conducted after Mufti resigned in 2016 to be sworn in as chief minister of the state. Mufti is contesting against J&K Congress president Ghulam Ahmad Mir and National Conference candidate and former judge Hasnain Masoodi.

Meanwhile, a civilian driver on poll duty was killed and several others, including CRPF men were injured in an accident allegedly caused due to stone-pelting protests in Kokernag area.