J&K Panchayat Polls: 4 Cops Killed, Another Critically Injured on Polling Day

The ninth and final phase of panchayat polls in Jammu and Kashmir ended on Tuesday against the backdrop of an attack on police personnel.

The attack was reportedly waged by the militants on government forces at a picket of J&K police located at Zainapora, an area of south Kashmir’s Shopian district. Four cops of Jammu and Kashmir police were killed during the attack.

In a statement issued by Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) to Global News Service, spokesman Muhammad Hassan said that its men have carried this attack, and have also snatched four rifles from the policemen.  

Meanwhile, polling for the ninth and final phase of panchayat elections in J&K ended on Tuesday with highest turn out recorded in Kupwara.

Voting for this phase took place at 452 polling stations, all in Kashmir division. During this phase, 430 candidates were contesting for 55 sarpanch and 138 panch seats. As many as 68 sarpanch and 433 panch have already been elected unopposed in this election across J&K.

As a precautionary measure, after witnessing valley-wide protests over the killing of two teenaged militants on December 9, 2018, authorities had tightened the security arrangements in and around the polling stations. During this phase of elections, 346 polling stations were categorised as “hypersensitive”.

In the last phase of elections, seven districts of Kashmir division went for polls which are Anantnag, Bandipora, Kupwara, Ganderbal, Budgam, Pulwama, Baramulla.

The overall turnout in Kashmir was recorded 38.8 per cent.

In Kashmir, the lowest turnout was recorded at 1.4 per cent in Pulwama district, and the highest turnout was recorded at 53.6 per cent in Budgam.

How Kashmiris see the elections

Carrying elections in Kashmir have remained one of the toughest jobs for government of India and the local politicians. During elections, Kashmir witnesses heavy deployment of government forces to prevent agitations across Kashmir.

Election boycott in Kashmir has been common since the 90s. Most people believe that the way the Indian governments have been treating the Kashmiris has over a period of time turned their hopes into fear.

During panchayat elections, most of the sarpanch and panch in Kashmir division were elected unopposed, which resulted in no elections being held in many parts of the valley.

In Kashmir, majority of the people followed the boycott during the elections. Meanwhile, Kupwara, a district of Northern Kashmir saw a higher voter turnout. Many residents of Kupwara told Newsclick that they voted to keep the BJP away from their district. In many incidents, BJP candidates were allegedly spotted distributing money in exchange of votes. Despite threats and risks, people have seemingly decided to vote out the “communal” BJP out of the valley.

Many residents said that they were voting for development, building of schools and medical centres in Kupwara, and in the hope that the newly elected people will take care of these basic needs.

Summary of previous phases

In the phase-I, 74.1 per cent polling was recorded across J&K, including 64.5 per cent in Kashmir division, and 79.4 per cent in Jammu division.

In the phase-II overall, 71.1 per cent polling was witnessed across the state with 80.4 per cent in Jammu division, and 52.2 per cent in Kashmir division.

In phase-III, the state witnessed a voter turnout of 75.2 per cent which includes 55.7 per cent in Kashmir division, and 83.0 per cent in Jammu division.

In phase-IV, the state witnessed a voter turnout of 71.3 per cent, including 82.4 per cent in Jammu division, and 32.3 per cent in Kashmir division.

In phase-V, the state witnessed a poll percentage of 71.1 per cent including 33.7 per cent in Kashmir division, and 85.2 per cent in Jammu division.

In phase-VI overall poll percentage of 76.9 per cent was witnessed across the state including 84.6 per cent in Jammu division, and 17.3 per cent in Kashmir division.

In phase-VII overall voter turnout of 75.3 per cent was witnessed across the state with 84.8 per cent in Jammu division, and 30.3 per cent in Kashmir division.

In the in the phase-VIII of panchayat polls, the overall poll percentage was 79.9 per cent across the state, with 85.1 per cent polling in Jammu division, and 49.6 per cent in Kashmir division.

During all these phases, Kashmir observed complete shutdown, and government declared holidays in poll-bound areas on the polling days.