The Election Commission on Monday said that the voter turnout in the five Lok Sabha seats of J&K was recorded at 58.46%, marking a 13% jump from the previous turnout seen in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections (44.37%).
The EC highlighted that this is the highest turnout seen in J&K in the last 35 years. “In a massive stride for India’s electoral polity, J&K witnessed its highest poll participation in the last 35 years. The combined voter turnout at the polling stations for the entire UT (5 Lok Sabha seats) was 58.46%…This significant participation is a testament to the robust democratic spirit and civic engagement of the people in the region,” it said.
The polling for the five Lok Sabha seats in J&K ended on May 25.
Polling in J&K
The three seats in Kashmir (Srinagar, Baramulla, and Anantnag-Rajouri) saw a voter turnout of 50.86%, an increase of 30 percentage points from the 19.16% turnout in 2019. According to the Election Commission, this was the highest turnout in the past three decades.
Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv 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 2,455 requests for rallies etc., reflecting the steady retaking of the election & campaign space away from hesitation and to fuller participation…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.”
Meanwhile, the turnout in Udhampur and Jammu seats was 68.27% and 72.22%, respectively.