Govt. raises concern over poor poll percentage in Srinagar LS bypolls

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday expressed his concerns over the poor poll percentage in Srinagar by-polls due to the prevailing tension in the Kashmir Valley.

"It is a matter of concern, we have decided, we will do something," he said.

The repolling in 38 polling booths in Srinagar parliamentary constituency yesterday recorded the lowest ever in the electoral history of the state. A measly two percent of voters cast their votes.

Chief Electoral Officer of Jammu and Kashmir, Shantmanu, said only 709 people among more than 35000 registered voters cast their votes. At around 21 polling booths recorded zero percent voting.

Yesterday, a voter turnout of 7.13 percent was recorded in the Srinagar Lok Sabha by-poll.

"Total 709 people voted today. Now, overall polling is around 7.13 percent in Srinagar Lok Sabha by-poll. No untoward incidents were reported," Shantmanu said.

1.4 percent voter turnout was recorded polling till 12 noon in Budgam where re-polling took place at 38 voting stations.

Some days ago, a school designated as polling station for Anantnag by-polls was set on fire in the Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir. A Panchayat Ghar was also set ablaze in Pulwama district.

A Government Middle school, in Shopian's Padarpora was set ablaze by unidentified people and on Sunday, the Government High School in Pulwama was razed to the ground in a similar manner.