The election campaign in Kulgam district, which is part of Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency going to polls in three phases, ended Saturday as nearly 3.45 lakh voters will register their choice of the representative on Monday.
“The election campaigning in Kulgam district came to an end this (Saturday) evening, but will continue in Pulwama and Shopian districts which are also part of the Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency,” an election official said.
He said the electioneering in the district remained by and large peaceful.
Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency is spread over four districts of Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian and Pulwama with 16 assembly segments. The Lok Sabha polls to this constituency are being held in three phases due to security reasons.
Anantnag district went to polls on 23rd April, while voting in Kulgam district will be on 29th April and Pulwama and Shopian districts will go to polls on 6 May.
The Election Commission has curtailed the polling duration for Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency by two hours following a request from the state police to this effect. The revised polling timing is from 7 AM to 4 PM.
The EC has established 433 polling stations to facilitate smooth polling in the district, the official said.
The Anantnag constituency in total has 13,97,272 registered voters including 7,20,337 males, 6,72,879 females and 35 transgender voters.
The Kulgam district has 3,45,489 electors including 1,79,607 males, 1,64,604 females, 1,265 service electors and 13 transgender voters.
The district is spread over four assembly segments comprising Noorabad, Kulgam, Hom Shalibugh and Devsar.
Out of these, Kulgam Assembly segment has the highest number of 98,298 voters (51,051 males, 46,818 females, 455 service voters and 4 transgender voters) while Noorabad has the lowest 77,171 electors, including 40,093 males, 36,886 females, 188 service voters and 4 transgender voters.
The Assembly segment of Devsar has 91,288 voters (47,467 males, 43,324 females, 492 service voters and five transgender voters), and Hom Shalibugh segment has 78,669 voters (40,996 males, 37,576 females and 127 service voters).
There are 18 candidates in the fray for Anantnag constituency including PDP president and former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Mehbooba Mufti.
Congress has fielded its state president Ghulam Ahmad Mir, while former High Court judge Hasnain Masoodi is contesting on the National Conference ticket.
The other candidates in the fray include former MLC Sofi Yousuf (BJP), Nisar Ahmad Wani (National Panthers Party), Zaffar Ali (People’s Conference), Sanjay Kumar Dhar (Manav Adhikar Party) and Surinder Singh (Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party).