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J&K polls end on positive note

- PHOTOS: PTI/ S. IRFAN, NISSAR AHMAD

UNMATCHED ENTHUSIASM: A large turnout of voters outside a polling station in Batmaloo constituency in Srinagar during the seventh phase of the Jammu & Kashmir Assembly elections on Wednesday. (Right) Women voters outside a booth at Noor Bagh in Srinagar constituency.

SRINAGAR: The seven-phase Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir ended on Wednesday on a positive note.

Chief Electoral Officer B.R. Sharma said there were many firsts and landmarks in this election. It was staggered in seven phases to suit “our strategy and the requirements.” In 1996, this process took 76 days; in 2002, it was spread over 72 days; in 2008, the same process was completed in 73 days.

Mr. Sharma said 1,354 candidates were in the fray this time, as against 709 in 2002. Seven national parties, three State parties, nine registered but unrecognised parties and 24 other parties fielded their candidates. There were 517 Independents in the fray, he said.

The electoral process saw intense campaigning, with 4,446 rallies conducted by the parties. Prominent campaigners such as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, BJP leader L.K. Advani, and the former Chief Ministers, Farooq Abdullah, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and Ghulam Nabi Azad, were active.

The Information Department of the State government, led by Secretary, Information, K.B. Jandial also played a significant role in the smooth conduct of the elections. Media centres had been set up in Jammu and Srinagar to facilitate communication for journalists. Mr. Jandial thanked the media for the cooperation.

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