Editor's Pick | 57% turnout in peaceful Phase 2 polling in J&K

The 26 constituencies which went to the polls in the second phase of the Assembly election in Jammu & Kashmir on Wednesday registered a turnout of 57.03%. “There has not been any incident that calls for a repolling. There were 3,502 polling stations and no polling booth had a voting percentage in single digit. In Srinagar, the polling percentage exceeded the Lok Sabha figures by over 5%,” J&K Chief Electoral Officer P.K. Pole said. Election Commission data of the turnout till 11.50 p.m. show Reasi district with the highest voting percentage of 74.7, followed by Poonch (73.8%), Rajouri (70.95%), Budgam (62. 98%), Ganderbal (62.51%), and Srinagar (29.81%). Rajouri, Poonch and Reasi districts, close to the Line of Control and a centre of militant attacks this year, saw long queues outside polling stations. “I voted to safeguard my country’s interest,” said Nitu Mia, a transgender voter from Reasi. Srinagar showed a marginal increase from the 27% in the 2014 Assembly election, but people of the district continued to remain reluctant voters in spite of the high-pitched, violence-free campaigning. Srinagar, Ganderbal and Budgam are the three districts of the Kashmir Valley that went to the polls on Wednesday. Most booths in the old city saw only a trickle of voters. Three generations of the Abdullahs — National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah, his son Omar Abdullah and grandsons — voted in Srinagar. “We are hopeful that after October 8, there will be an NC-Congress alliance government in J&K,” Mr. Omar said after casting his vote. Tariq Hameed Karra, J&K Pradesh Congress Committee president and candidate from Central Shalteng, said, “Growing anger over the removal of Statehood is evident.” Intensifying his agitation over the issue of Statehood, Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday threatened to wage protests inside and outside Parliament to “force the BJP to grant Jammu and Kashmir Statehood”. Foreign diplomats from 15 countries are in Kashmir to observe the electoral process. They expressed satisfaction over the process after touring several polling booths. However, National Conference (NC) vice-president Omar Abdullah termed it “a guided tour”. In an editorial, The Hindu noted that the first two rounds of the three-phase Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) elections have brought to the fore the contesting visions for the region, between the national and regional parties, and between the national parties, the BJP and the Congress. It pointed out that in the first Assembly election in 10 years, and also the first after J&K lost its statehood and special status in 2019, the National Conference (NC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) vowed to fight for the restoration of special status, especially bringing back Articles 370 and 35A. On the question of statehood, all parties are in agreement, but the BJP, which is in power at the Centre, is still non-committal about the timeline, and has ruled out the return of special status and Article 370. “The battle for power has caused parties and other actors to drift away from any possible convergence,” it noted. The Hindu’s Editorial ​Kashmir conflict: On the J&K elections ​Rogue state: On Israel’s conflict with Hezbollah The Hindu’s Daily Quiz Which city was in middle of a ‘targeted strike’ during the recent air attack by Israel in Lebanon? Beirut Sidon Baalbek Tripoli To know the answer and to play the full quiz, click here. [logo] Editor's Pick 26 September 2024 [The Hindu logo] [EP Logo] Editor's Pick 26 September 2024 In the Editor's Pick newsletter, The Hindu explains why a story was important enough to be carried on the front page of today's edition of our newspaper. [View in browser]( [More newsletters]( 57% turnout in peaceful Phase 2 polling in J&K The 26 constituencies which went to the polls in the [second phase of the Assembly election in Jammu & Kashmir]( on Wednesday registered a turnout of 57.03%. “There has not been any incident that calls for a repolling. There were 3,502 polling stations and no polling booth had a voting percentage in single digit. In Srinagar, the polling percentage exceeded the Lok Sabha figures by over 5%,” J&K Chief Electoral Officer P.K. Pole said. Election Commission data of the turnout till 11.50 p.m. show Reasi district with the highest voting percentage of 74.7, followed by Poonch (73.8%), Rajouri (70.95%), Budgam (62. 98%), Ganderbal (62.51%), and Srinagar (29.81%). Rajouri, Poonch and Reasi districts, close to the Line of Control and a centre of militant attacks this year, saw long queues outside polling stations. “I voted to safeguard my country’s interest,” said Nitu Mia, a transgender voter from Reasi. Srinagar showed a marginal increase from the 27% in the 2014 Assembly election, [but people of the district continued to remain reluctant voters]( in spite of the high-pitched, violence-free campaigning. Srinagar, Ganderbal and Budgam are the three districts of the Kashmir Valley that went to the polls on Wednesday. Most booths in the old city saw only a trickle of voters. Three generations of the Abdullahs — National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah, his son Omar Abdullah and grandsons — voted in Srinagar. “We are hopeful that after October 8, there will be an NC-Congress alliance government in J&K,” Mr. Omar said after casting his vote. Tariq Hameed Karra, J&K Pradesh Congress Committee president and candidate from Central Shalteng, said, “Growing anger over the removal of Statehood is evident.” Intensifying his agitation over the issue of Statehood, Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday threatened to wage [protests inside and outside Parliament]( to “force the BJP to grant Jammu and Kashmir Statehood”. [Foreign diplomats from 15 countries are in Kashmir to observe the electoral process.]( They expressed satisfaction over the process after touring several polling booths. However, National Conference (NC) vice-president [Omar Abdullah termed it “a guided tour”]( In an editorial, [The Hindu]( noted]( that the first two rounds of the three-phase Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) elections have brought to the fore the contesting visions for the region, between the national and regional parties, and between the national parties, the BJP and the Congress. It pointed out that in the first Assembly election in 10 years, and also the first after J&K lost its statehood and special status in 2019, the National Conference (NC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) vowed to fight for the restoration of special status, especially bringing back Articles 370 and 35A. On the question of statehood, all parties are in agreement, but the BJP, which is in power at the Centre, is still non-committal about the timeline, and has ruled out the return of special status and Article 370. “The battle for power has caused parties and other actors to drift away from any possible convergence,” it noted. The Hindu’s Editorial [Arrow][​Kashmir conflict: On the J&K elections]( [Arrow][​Rogue state: On Israel’s conflict with HezbollahÂ]( The Hindu’s Daily Quiz Which city was in middle of a ‘targeted strike’ during the recent air attack by Israel in Lebanon? - Beirut - Sidon - Baalbek - Tripoli To know the answer and to play the full quiz, [click here.]( Today’s Best Reads [[MUDA case: Special Court directs Lokayukta police to book Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah] MUDA case: Special Court directs Lokayukta police to book Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah]( [[Bangladesh to soon hold negotiations with India over sharing of water of transboundary rivers: Interim govt. adviser] Bangladesh to soon hold negotiations with India over sharing of water of transboundary rivers: Interim govt. adviser]( [[Stop making ‘casual’ remarks in court that reveal communal or gender biases, SC tells judges] Stop making ‘casual’ remarks in court that reveal communal or gender biases, SC tells judges]( [[YouTuber ‘Savukku’ Shankar walks out of Madurai prison after Supreme Court orders his release] YouTuber ‘Savukku’ Shankar walks out of Madurai prison after Supreme Court orders his release]( Copyright© 2024, THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD. 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