Counting of votes for Srinagar-Budgam Parliamentary by-election began at 8 a.m. here on Saturday. The bypolls of Srinagar were held on April 9 that saw low voter turnout and violence. There are nine candidates in the fray, but the main contest is between former Chief Minister and National Conference President Farooq Abdullah and the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Nazir Ahmad Khan. As per the latest report, former chief minister and National conference president Farooq Abdullah (29839) extends his lead by 9700 votes against Nazir Ahmad Khan (20134).
Eight people were killed and over 100 security personnel were injured during the polls on April 9 that recorded total voter turnout of 6.5% . Subsequently, re-polling was ordered at 38 polling stains on April 13 that saw only 2 % voter (702 out pf total 35,169 voters) coming out to exercise their franchise. After Thursday’s poll, the total polling stood at 7.13 %, the lowest in the history of Jammu and Kashmir. Separatists had called for a boycott of these polls. Alarmed over the poll violence, the Election Commission deferred the south Kashmir Anantnag Parliamentary seat by-poll which was scheduled on April 12 to May 25.
State Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Shantmanu who visited the Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar on Friday, where the counting is scheduled, said counting of votes would begin simultaneously in Jammu, Udhampur and New Delhi where Kashmiri migrants had voted.
IANS inputs
