The end of the polling process for the five Lok Sabha seats in Jammu and Kashmir marks a significant milestone in the region’s democratic history. It is the first such poll after the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019. The turnout was 58 percent, the highest in 35 years. This election has shattered previous records, reflecting a degree of renewed faith in the electoral process among the people of J&K.
The election stood out not only for its high turnout but also for the peaceful conduct of the polling process. Despite the region’s history of election boycott and violence, the exercise was largely incident-free, with only isolated disturbances reported. Over the past more than three decades, Kashmir has consistently witnessed low voter turnout due to conflict and political disillusionment. The Anantnag-Rajouri seat which was the last to go to poll saw a turnout of 53 percent, the highest since 1984. This is a stark contrast to the 9 percent turnout in 2019, highlighting a dramatic shift in voter engagement. Similarly, Baramulla and Srinagar saw turnouts of 59.1 percent and 38.49 percent, respectively, the highest in decades.
However, the high voter turnout should not overshadow the need for ongoing efforts to ensure free and fair elections. The Election Commission must continue to address challenges such as electoral fraud, voter intimidation, and logistical hurdles that undermine the integrity of the electoral process. Transparent and accountable electoral practices are essential to maintain public trust and confidence in democracy.
As the region moves forward, it is imperative that the authorities build on this momentum by addressing underlying issues, fostering political stability, and ensuring that the voices of all citizens are heard and respected.
And to start it would be helpful if the central government holds Assembly elections in the union territory, now that the parliament polls have been a roaring success without the usual boycott or the spurt in violence. On a positive note, home minister Amit Shah has said that the Assembly election will be held before September this year in line with the Supreme Court’s direction. Should that happen, J&K will have a democratically elected government after September. And subsequently, it would be in the fitness of things if the union government reinstates statehood, which again is a promise made by the prime minister Narendra Modi and home minister Shah. .However, much depends on what happens on June 4 and which party’s or a coalition’s government comes to power at the centre. Until then all we can do is keep our fingers crossed.
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