What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
Nine political parties and candidates, including the BJP, Apni Party, and DPAP, had advocated for postponing the elections due to snowfall on Mughal Road and other accessibility issues. However, the NC and PDP opposed the delay.
JAMMU: The Election Commission announced today the postponement of polls for the Anantnag-Poonch-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat, originally scheduled for the third phase on May 7, to May 25. This decision aligns the constituency’s polling with the sixth phase of the ongoing Parliamentary elections. The delay comes in response to logistical challenges arising from adverse weather conditions.
Nine political parties and candidates, including the BJP, Apni Party, and DPAP, had advocated for postponing the elections due to snowfall on Mughal Road and other accessibility issues. However, the NC and PDP opposed the delay.
Among the 20 candidates contesting the elections are former Chief Minister and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, National Conference leader Mian Altaf, Zaffar Manhas from Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party, and Advocate Muzaffar Parrey.
While the polling date has changed, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) PK Pole confirmed to The New Indian that all other schedules remain unchanged, including the list of contesting candidates.
ALSO READ: Srinagar Lok Sabha: 29 Approved, 10 Rejected after approval
Initially slated for May 7, the third phase of polling in the Anantnag-Poonch-Rajouri constituency has been rescheduled to May 25. The Lok Sabha elections are being held in seven phases, with counting scheduled for June 4.
Udhampur-Doda and Jammu-Reasi Parliamentary seats went to polls in the first two phases on April 19 and 26, respectively. Srinagar and Baramulla seats are scheduled for the fourth and fifth phases on May 13 and 20, while the lone Ladakh constituency will have polling on May 20.
The Election Commission, after reviewing requests from various political parties in Jammu and Kashmir, decided to revise the polling date for the Anantnag-Rajouri Parliamentary constituency. The parties cited logistical, communication, and natural barriers to connectivity as hindrances to fair campaigning.
Election Commission officials clarified that only the poll date for the Lok Sabha seat has been revised, with all statutory processes already completed. Leaders petitioning the Election Commission included Jammu and Kashmir BJP unit chief Ravinder Raina and Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party chief Altaf Bukhari.
ALSO READ: 2024 Lok Sabha Elections: Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) – THE NEW INDIAN
The Anantnag-Rajouri Parliamentary seat, reshaped based on the Delimitation Commission’s recommendations in 2022, spans 18 Assembly segments across Anantnag, Shopian, Kulgam, Rajouri, and Poonch districts, bridging South Kashmir and the Jammu region.
The Mughal Road, vital for connectivity between the two regions, usually closes during winter months due to heavy snowfall. Recent snowfall on April 27 necessitated the closure of the road after previous clearance for one-way traffic.
The Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha constituency boasts 1,830,294 eligible voters, with 930,379 males and 899,888 females. The BJP has not fielded a candidate, considering extending support to a non-Congress, NC, or PDP-linked contestant. The constituency will feature 2,338 polling stations, including 2,113 in rural areas and 225 in urban areas.
