Omar Abdullah Attributes Low Voter Turnout in J&K’s Second Phase to Central Government’s Policies

Omar Abdullah, the Vice President of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC). Archive Photo | Photo Credit: ANI

This statement followed the announcement that the second phase of voting on Wednesday resulted in a voter turnout of just over 56%, whereas the first phase, held on September 18, recorded an estimated 61.38% participation.

“Honestly, I anticipated a higher turnout since there was no call for a boycott, no significant attacks, and voters faced no threats or coercion. I believe the Centre bears some responsibility for this situation. They attempted to showcase high voter turnout as a sign of normalcy and to imply that the people had accepted the abrogation of Article 370. Perhaps this is a reaction from Srinagar, as the residents do not want to send misleading signals,” Mr. Abdullah conveyed to reporters in the border town of Uri in the Baramulla district.

The former chief minister, who is contesting from the Ganderbal and Budgam segments, also criticized what he termed a mistake that the foreign diplomats were invited to observe the polling process in Kashmir.

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“Another error made by the Centre was the inviting of diplomats. Perhaps they aimed to display a high voter turnout in Srinagar as evidence of a significant change. The people of Srinagar did not wish to be utilized in this manner, leading to fewer voters casting their ballots. Nevertheless, I express my gratitude to those who turned out to vote, regardless of their choices,” he stated.

A group of diplomats from 16 nations, including the United States, Norway, and Singapore, observed the Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday.

Mr. Abdullah, who is actively campaigning for party candidates in segments set for the third phase of voting on October 1, expressed confidence that the districts of Baramulla, Bandipora, and Kupwara would maintain their historical trend of high voter turnout.

“Historically, Baramulla, Bandipora, and Kupwara have shown robust participation in past elections. I am optimistic they will repeat this in the current elections, and I might be a bit biased in wishing they vote for the National Conference. In areas where the NC has not fielded a candidate, they should consider voting for the Congress,” he noted.

While the districts of Budgam, Ganderbal, Reasi, Poonch, and Rajouri saw voter turnouts exceeding 60%, the eight assembly segments within Srinagar district recorded a disappointing 29.81% turnout on Wednesday.