The Nagrota Assembly constituency recorded an impressive 75.08 percent voter turnout in today’s by-election, with polling passing off peacefully across all 150 polling stations, according to the Election Commission.
The fate of 10 candidates, including BJP’s Devyani Rana, NC’s Shamim Begum, JKNPP-I’s Harshdev Singh, and Independent Anil Sharma, now lies sealed in the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). Counting of votes is set for November 14.
Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sanjeev Verma told Daily Excelsior that the by-poll witnessed fully peaceful and smooth polling. Verma, who visited several polling stations during the day, noted that voters expressed satisfaction with facilities, including wheelchairs, drinking water, and effective queue management.
Officials confirmed that one or two EVMs were replaced due to technical issues, but polling resumed immediately without disruption.
Comparative turnout data shows that during the 2024 Assembly election, Nagrota had registered a slightly higher turnout of 77.66%, making today’s by-election figure notably substantial.
In 2024, BJP’s Devender Singh Rana won with 48,113 votes, while NC’s Joginder Singh secured 17,641 votes. This year, officials expect similar numbers, with around 98,000 eligible voters in the constituency.
Adequate security arrangements were firmly in place, featuring a heavy deployment of paramilitary and police personnel at sensitive locations. Election Commission Observers, including General, Police, and Expenditure observers, monitored multiple booths. Senior officials were also assigned to special polling stations.
After polling closed at 6 pm, officials securely shifted the EVMs to strong rooms, where they will remain under continuous surveillance until the counting day.
This by-election is only the second time that presiding officers used the ‘Presiding Officer App’ under the ECI’s Integrated ECTNet platform to upload booth-wise turnout data, significantly reducing delays and minimizing human error in reporting.
The by-election arose from the sudden death of BJP stalwart Devender Singh Rana, who passed away just days after winning the Assembly seat in 2024. The BJP nominated his daughter, Devyani Rana, an Economics graduate from the University of California, who campaigned focusing on ‘professional and inclusive development’.
NC’s Shamim Begum, a sitting member of the District Development Council (DDC), emphasized her grassroots connections and party organization strength during her campaign. Former minister Harshdev Singh projected himself as an “alternative voice” while Independent candidate Anil Sharma relied on local support and welfare assurances.
Long queues formed at several booths post-9 am, as sunny weather encouraged large voter turnout. Electors at the Kol Kandoli polling station expressed that they cast their ballots “to continue the pace of development in the Nagrota area.”
This by-election occurs in a political landscape where Nagrota has swung between the BJP and NC over the last five elections since 1996. The BJP claimed victories in 2002, 2008, and 2024, while the NC secured wins in 1996 and 2014. Uniquely, the Congress did not field a candidate this time and opted out of NC’s campaign, despite being alliance partners at the Union Territory level.
The Nagrota and Budgam by-polls aim to fill two vacancies in the 90-member J&K Assembly, which currently operates with 88 sitting legislators. These vacancies emerged following the death of Devender Singh Rana and the resignation of former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who vacated Budgam after retaining Ganderbal.
