BJP National Spokesperson Shazia Ilmi lashed out at National Conference Vice-President Omar Abdullah on Thursday, accusing him of spreading falsehoods about the electoral process in Jammu and Kashmir. Ilmi emphasized that the votes being cast today are transparent, contrasting them with previous elections alleged to be marred by rigging.
Transparency in Voting
“What does Omar Abdullah think? The time is gone when he used to say one thing in Srinagar and another in Jammu. This is the age of social media; your lies will not work,” Ilmi stated during an interview with ANI in Srinagar. She highlighted that the first assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, occurring after a nearly ten-year gap since the abrogation of Article 370, represent a celebration of democracy.
Celebration of Democracy
Ilmi further added, “It is a celebration of democracy, and people from all over the world are watching it, so Omar Abdullah and his tricks will not work.” This statement referred to the recent visit of a delegation of diplomats who came to observe the second phase of polling on September 25.
Omar Abdullah’s Response
Meanwhile, Omar Abdullah expressed disappointment over voter turnout in the assembly elections. “I was hoping for a little more turnout because there was no call for a boycott. There were no attacks or attempts to suppress voters,” he remarked. Abdullah also suggested that the central government bears partial responsibility for the current situation, claiming they have tried to present high turnout as a sign of normalcy.
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Voter Turnout Data
The first phase of polling was held on September 18, while the second phase took place on September 25, recording a turnout of 57.03% as of 11:45 PM, according to the Election Commission of India (ECI).
- Budgam: 62.98%
- Ganderbal: 62.51%
- Poonch: 73.80%
- Rajouri: 70.95%
- Reasi: 74.70%
- Srinagar: 29.81%
Polling was conducted across six districts in Budgam, Ganderbal, Poonch, and the Jammu regions of Rajouri, Reasi, and Srinagar, with 25.78 lakh electors eligible to cast votes to decide the fate of 239 candidates in this phase.
Upcoming Phases
The final phase of elections in Jammu and Kashmir is scheduled for October 1, with the counting of votes for the Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana assemblies set to take place on October 8.
(WITH INPUTS FROM ANI)
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