The Srinagar Lok Sabha election, to be held on May 13, has already created history by registering the highest number of candidates in the fray in the past 30 years.
A record number of 24 candidates are contesting from the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat, including one woman candidate, Waheeda Tabasum Shah; cancer surgeon Ashraf Qazi; and social media influencer Jibran Firdous Dar.
An official said a total of 39 candidates had filed their nomination papers but the nomination papers of 10 candidates were “rejected during scrutiny”. Out of the remaining 29 candidates, five candidates withdrew their candidature later, according to officials.
In 1996, there were only 11 candidates in the fray, there were 10 candidates in 1999, 13 candidates in 2004, 15 candidates in 2009, 14 candidates in 2014, and 12 candidates in 2019.
Prominent political faces contesting the elections this time include the National Conference’s (NC) Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) Waheed-ur-Rehman Para, and J&K Apni Party’s (JKAP) Mohammad Ashraf Mir.
Mr. Mehdi has been a legislator from Budgam and served as a Minister in the NC government in the hitherto State. Mr. Parra won the 2020 District Development Council election from Pulwama. Mr. Mir was also a legislator and won the elections on a PDP ticket.
A record number of 1,556 poll rallies were allowed and 271 rejected. The Srinagar Lok Sabha saw many firsts this time. There were on average over two dozen poll rallies in a day, official sources said. “I would attend three to seven poll rallies a day. It was hectic, and the day started early at 7 a.m. and ended around 11 p.m.,” Mr. Mehdi told The Hindu.
The PDP’s Mr. Parra held a record number of late-evening poll campaigns in highly volatile and once militancy-dominated pockets of Pulwama and Ganderbal. He organised a long mashaal (flame torch) rally to conclude his campaign on Friday. “I was encouraged by the youths’ enthusiasm and participation. It egged me on,” Mr. Parra said.
A total of 17,47,810 lakh voters, including 8,75,938 male and 8,71,808 female voters, are registered in the constituency. Around 2,135 polling stations have been set up in five districts of Srinagar, Pulwama, Budgam, Ganderbal and Shopian. More than 8,500 polling staff, including reserve staff, will be deployed.
An official said 20 polling booths will be managed by women, also called ‘pink polling stations’, 18 polling booths will be manned by specially-abled persons, and 17 by youths. “There will be 21 green polling stations in order to spread messages about environmental concern,” the officials said.
“All polling stations in the fourth phase will have CCTV cameras for live webcasting to the control rooms. There are a few polling stations which fall in communication shadow areas. Suitable alternate arrangements by providing satellite phones, wireless sets and special runners have been put in place,” officials said.
