The Hindu : National : 40% vote in Baramulla

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Thursday, May 14, 2009
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40% vote in Baramulla

Shujaat Bukhari

Brisk polling in Handwara, Kupwara towns

In Sopore and Baramulla towns, hit by boycott call, turnout is low
Kashmir Valley shut down; youth turn violent in Baramulla

SRINAGAR: Violent incidents were reported in Baramulla, which along with Ladakh went to the polls in the final phase of the Lok Sabha elections on Wednesday, even as the Kashmir Valley observed a shutdown in response to a call given by separatists. Chief Electoral Officer B.R. Sharma said polling in both constituencies was smooth and peaceful.

He said Baramulla recorded a 40-45 per cent turnout. It was 60-65 per cent in Ladakh.

In the Baramulla constituency, Handwara and Kupwara towns along with adjoining areas witnessed brisk polling. But in Sopore and Baramulla towns, hit by the boycott call, the turnout was very low.

In Kupwara district, people had been swarming booths since early morning. It was a repeat of the enthusiasm seen in the Assembly elections, but was missing in most parts of the constituency.

People’s Conference chairman Sajjad Lone, who parted ways with separatism and decided to join the poll fray, is involved in a contest with the National Conference and the People’s Democratic Party. In many places, PC and NC workers clashed.

Unlike as in Sopore, the boycott was not peaceful in Baramulla, where youth had turned violent since Tuesday. They set a police vehicle on fire. On Wednesday, they threw stones at the police to disrupt polling. At Seelo, the protesters set a government vehicle afire. Grenades were lobbed at Seelo, Ladoora and Pattan on Tuesday night.

In Gurez, Karnah and Uri near the Line of Control, the turnout was not as low as in Baramulla and Sopore. At the booths in Dawar (Gurez), Tangdar (Karnah) and Salamabad (Uri), it was almost 50 per cent by noon.

Meanwhile, separatist leaders Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Yasin Malik, Javed Mir and Naeem Khan remained under house arrest.

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