The Newshour Debate: Kashmir chooses democracy - 2

Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday (November 25) registered a record 71.28 percent turnout in the first phase of incident-free Assembly elections when people ignored boycott calls by separatists and cold conditions to cast their votes in 15 constituencies. In J&K, a 61.23 per cent voter turnout was recorded in the 2008 Assembly polls for these 15 seats--6 in Jammu division, 5 in Kashmir Valley and four in Ladakh. Today's polling was spread over seven districts. The overall turnout in the state in the Assembly elections in 1996 and 2012 was 53.92 per cent and 43.69 per cent respectively. "Polling has gone off absolutely peaceful without any incident. It was 100 per cent flawless polls and there was not a single incident which vitiates poll process," Deputy Election Commissioner Vinod Zutshi told reporters in Delhi. Dealing a serious blow to separatist politics, thousands of voters had lined up before polling stations. Nearly 10.52 lakh voters were eligible to vote. Separatist groups like all the factions of Hurriyat Conference and JKLF have called for a boycott of the polls and a general strike as well in the state which has been affected by militancy for over 25 years. A total of 123 candidates including seven ministers were in the fray with the ruling coalition partners National Conference and Congress and the Opposition People's Democratic Party(PDP) and BJP fighting for the spoils.

In five Kashmir Valley constituencies, two in Ganderbal district recorded 68 per cent turnout -- an increase of 13 per cent from 2008 assembly polls -- while three in Bandipora district recorded 70.30 per cent, registering an increase of 11 per cent. Sonawari consituency in the Kashmir Valley recorded a turnout as high as 80.10 percent. In six seats of Jammu division, two constituencies in Doda district recorded a turn out of 76 per cent while it was 70 per cent each for the four seats in Kishtwar and Ramban districts. While there was increase of eight per cent in Doda district and nearly