Long queues outside polling booths in Jammu-Reasi LS constituency

Jammu: In the first four hours since the voting started in the Jammu-Reasi Lok Sabha constituency on Friday, 26.61 per cent ofvoteswere cast.

Of the total voting segments, Reasi witnessed the highest -- 33.79 per cent -- voting during the first four hours.

Polling stations throughout the constituency wore a festive look as long queues of voters lined up outside to cast their votes.

After finishing the domestic household chores in the morning, women voters were coming out in large numbers to exercise the franchise.

Akhnoor reserved voting segment recorded 29.75 per cent, Bahu 21.04 per cent, Bishnah (SC) 27.63 per cent, Chhamb 25.13 per cent, Gulabgarh (ST) 31.10 per cent Jammu East 21.72 per cent, Jammu North 23.25 per cent, Jammu West 19.39 per cent, Kalakote - Sunderbani 29.79 per cent, Marh (SC) 29.16 per cent, Nagrota 29.40 per cent, RS Pura - Jammu South 24.46 per cent, Ramgarh (SC) 28.28 per cent, Reasi 33.79 per cent, Samba 29.59 per cent, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi - 31.25 per cent, Suchetgarh (SC) 25.71 per cent and Vijaypur 25.44 per cent.

Long queues of voters were seen in Jammu district and Ramgarh, Vijaypur and Samba voting segments of Samba district that form part of the Jammu-Reasi constituency.

Better roads, development, education, connectivity, healthcare, etc., are the main issues of the urban voters.

A large number of voters from the border areas were flocking to the polling booths to use their democratic right proving beyond doubt that peace on the border and the country’s capacity to protect their lives, agricultural fields, homes and livestock are the main considerations for these voters.

The ECI officials said contingency plans are in place in case there is any disruption in border polling stations.

There are 17,80,738 voters in the constituency including 9,21,053 males, 8,59,657 females and 28 third gender voters.

ECI has set up 2,416 polling stations, including 666 urban and 1750 rural polling stations.

CCTV camera monitoring, webcasting and deployment of poll mobile senior supervisory staff are some of the measures to ensure free and fair polling in the constituency.

About 13 polling stations, which come in the communication shadow zone, are being monitored through satellite phone, wireless and human runners to ensure fairness of the voting process.

Adequate security has been provided throughout the constituency while the polling stations were sanitised security-wise a day ahead of the polling date.

Hundreds of police personnel and those of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) have been deployed to provide a safe and secure voting environment to the voters.

There are 22 contestants in the field, but the main electoral battle is between Jugal Kishore Sharma of the BJP and Raman Bhalla of the Congress.

Sharma is seeking re-election for the third time from this constituency and Bhalla, a former J&K minister, is supported by the National Conference which did not field any candidate in the constituency.

The constituency comprises the districts of Jammu and Reasi and one voting segment, Sunderbani-Kalakote of Rajouri district.

Polling started at 7 a.m. and will end at 6 p.m.