SRINAGAR, June 3: Stringent security arrangements have been put in place for the vote counting of the three Lok Sabha constituencies in Kashmir, officials said on Monday. Additional security personnel have been deployed at key locations in the valley to ensure a smooth and secure process.
A three-tier security blanket has been established around the counting centers in Srinagar, Baramulla, and Anantnag to prevent any unauthorized entry. A tight vigil is also being maintained around the strong rooms where electronic voting machines (EVMs) have been stored since the polling concluded in these constituencies.
Polling for the five parliamentary constituencies in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir was conducted in five phases: April 19, April 26, May 13, May 20, and May 25.
Ahead of the vote counting, Returning Officers of the constituencies held meetings with contesting candidates, election agents, and political party representatives to familiarize them with the standard counting procedures as prescribed by the Election Commission of India (ECI). They were briefed on the sequence and procedures of the counting, including the handling of EVMs, Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trails (VVPATs), and the Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS).
An official spokesperson announced that regular updates would be made through the public address system in the counting halls on the counting day.
Sixty-six candidates are in the fray for the three Lok Sabha seats in Kashmir valley. Key candidates include PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah, separatist-turned-mainstream politician Sajad Gani Lone, and former MLA Sheikh Abdul Rashid, also known as Engineer Rashid, who is currently lodged in Tihar Jail under a UAPA case.
Mufti faces National Conference leader Mian Altaf Ahmad in the Anantnag-Rajouri seat. Abdullah, Lone, and Rashid are engaged in a triangular contest for the Baramulla Lok Sabha seat. In the prestigious Srinagar Lok Sabha seat, both National Conference and PDP have fielded young candidates, Aga Roohullah and Waheed Para, respectively.
The Kashmir valley witnessed a record turnout in these Lok Sabha polls, with more than 50 percent of the electorate casting their votes.
