A record 38% voting in Srinagar constituency

Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency witnessed a record turnout of 38%, highest in the last 25 years, on Monday. The pre-delimitation turnout was 15% in 2019.

Electors ET spoke with said their vote represented “anger on the ground and a democratic response against the decisions of August 5, 2019”.

This was the first election in the last three decades when no separatist organisation had called for boycott, which also played a role in improving the numbers. Political parties, however, complained that their election agents were not allowed by the administration to function smoothly at several booths. Voting went peacefully in all the areas and police and paramilitary for ces reported no major violent incident.


Turnout was 11.9% in 1999, 18.57% in 2004, 25.55% in 2009, 25.86% in 2014 and 7.12% in 2017 by-elections.

“We have an uncertain future and our voice has been muzzled for several years. This is the vote to express our anger and resentment about what is happening on the ground,” said Abdul Aziz, a retired central government employee from Pulwama in southern Kashmir. Another voter said that “truth has been imprisoned in Kashmir” and hoped that the candidate he voted for will speak the “truth of Kashmir in Parliament”. Voters expressed resentment over continued “unemployment”, “corruption” and “lack of pro-people development.”

“We want to see an end to the humiliation we are facing in the absence of any elected representative. After abrogation of Article 370, the situation has worsened and outsiders are ruling us,” said Ishfaq Hussain, a 25-year-old private employee from Nowshera, who voted for the first time.