JAMMU: More than 35,000 displaced Kashmiri Pandits from across the country are eligible to vote at 24 polling stations in the first phase of the three-phased Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday. Polling is set to be held on Wednesday in 24 Assembly constituencies of seven districts to decide the fate of 219 candidates. The displaced Kashmiri Pandits will exercise their right of franchise in 16 constituencies of south Kashmir's Anantnag, Pulwama, Shopian and Kulgam districts.
"As many as 35,500 Kashmiri migrant voters are eligible to cast their votes at 24 special polling stations set up in Jammu, Udhampur and Delhi tomorrow for the first phase of elections," Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner Dr Arvind Karwani told PTI. Dr Karwani, who is supervising the election process, said 34,852 such voters are registered in Jammu to exercise their right of franchise in 19 polling stations here. Similarly, 648 such Kashmiri migrant voters are registered in Udhampur and Delhi to cast their votes at a polling station in Udhampur and four such polling stations in Delhi, he said.
Although the majority of Kashmiri Pandit population lives in Delhi, a miniscule number of around 600 have registered for the elections. "All arrangements have been made for free and fair polling tomorrow," the relief and rehabilitation commissioner said. Security has been beefed up at all the polling stations and arrangements for elders, women and voters with disability have been put in place, h.
