Srinagar: Long gone are the days when the Kashmir Valley was synonymous with terror and fear, where voting was an occasional and hesitant affair. In a remarkable turn of events, Jammu and Kashmir has set a new benchmark in India's electoral history with the highest voter turnout in the last 35 years during the General Elections 2024. The Union Territory recorded a combined voter turnout (VTR) of 58.46% across its five parliamentary constituencies, marking a significant milestone in the region's democratic journey. The role of Election Commission of India (ECI) is praiseworthy, braised of course all the stakeholders including political parties.
The Kashmir Valley, in particular, witnessed a dramatic surge in voter participation, with a 30-point increase compared to the 2019 elections, according to the ECI. The three parliamentary constituencies in the valley - Srinagar, Baramulla, and Anantnag-Rajouri - reported turnouts of 38.49%, 59.1%, and 54.84% respectively. This increase is the highest seen in the past three decades.
This surge in voter participation reflects the growing faith of the people of Jammu and Kashmir in the democratic process. Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, expressed their gratitude to polling personnel and security officials for ensuring peaceful and smooth elections. Kumar said, “This achievement sits on a credible weave of 25% increase in number of contesting candidates since 2019, C-vigil complaints showing enhanced citizen involvement and Suvidha Portal showing 2455 requests for rallies etc., reflecting the steady retaking of the election & campaign space away from hesitation and to fuller participation. Compare this outcome of the layered depth of electoral mobilisation and participation, as reminiscent of the fame and deft of the legendary Kashmiri artisanal weave. This active participation is a huge positive for Assembly elections to be held soon so that the democratic process continues to thrive in the Union Territory”.
The other two parliamentary constituencies in the Union Territory, Udhampur and Jammu, also saw impressive voter turnouts of 68.27% and 72.22% respectively. The high participation rates across the Union Territory are a result of the efforts of election and security officials who have worked tirelessly to engage and empower the people, especially the youth.
In addition to the local residents, Kashmiri migrant voters residing in relief camps in Delhi, Jammu, and Udhampur were also given the option to vote in person at special polling stations or via postal ballot. Twenty-six special polling stations were established across these locations to facilitate their participation.
The separate Union Territory of Ladakh, formed in 2019, also showed an increased engagement with a voter turnout of 71.82%.
As part of the Systematic Voters' Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) program, a wide range of activities were organised by the ECI to promote voting awareness in Jammu and Kashmir. These included adventure sports, symposiums, awareness rallies, street plays, and musical programs in various locations, contributing to the vibrant electoral atmosphere. Activities ranged from creating Igloos as dummy polling stations in Baramulla, to a Para scooter event in Kathua, and sensitisation at the Beating the Retreat ceremony on the Suchetgarh border. Musical performances were held at notable locations including Lal Chowk, Gulmarg, Kulgam, and Anantnag, engaging the community in the democratic process.
This historic voter turnout signifies a wave of change in the Kashmir Valley, heralding a new era of democratic participation and governance. The active engagement of the people of Jammu and Kashmir in the electoral process is a positive sign for the upcoming assembly elections in the Union Territory. /BI/
