Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency is witnessing its first parliamentary election post the abrogation of Article 370. The Voting is currently in progress in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. A significant turnout of voters has been observed since the early hours, with long queues forming outside polling stations in Pulwama and Ganderbal as citizens eagerly exercise their right to vote.
On the occassion, Chairperson of Jammu and Kashmir National Conference, Omar Abdullah’s son cast his vote in Srinagar constituency. Post giving his vote, Zahir Abdullah engaged in an exclusive conversation with NewsX. He revealed that he had voted for the first time and he felt good about exercising his right to vote. He asserted,”Yes it’s my first time casting my vote and it feels nice.”
#WhosWinning2024 | ‘I feel great casting my first vote. Urge all voters to go and cast their vote.’ Zahir Abdullah, son of J&K National Conference President Omar Abdullah, speaks with Ajay Jandyal after casting his first vote in the General Election, only on NewsX@OmarAbdullah… pic.twitter.com/hlv7S4SUjY
— NewsX World (@NewsX) May 13, 2024
taking the candid interaction further, Zahir asserted that he had no plans of joining politics in the near future and did not wish to be a politician only because he belonged from the particular background. He stated, “who said that I was going to be a politician? I never said that I wanted to be a politician in the coming future.”
Concluding the interaction Abdullah’s son reiterated his optimism regarding exercising his right to vote for the first time. Additionally he took the opportunty to also urge the youth in the state and the country to exercise their franchise. He added, “yes I feel very nice about casting my first vote and I hope and wish to appeal to all the youngsters and first time voters will exercise their right to vote because if you don’t put a vote when you get the chance, you never when will be the next time you get chance to cast vote.”
The Srinagar Lok Sabha seat encompasses Srinagar, Ganderbal, and Pulwama districts, along with parts of Budgam and Shopian districts, constituting a total of 17.48 lakh eligible voters. Voting commenced at 7 am in Srinagar, marking the onset of the fourth phase of the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections. Nationally, over 1,700 candidates are competing across 96 Lok Sabha constituencies. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, polling occurred for six seats in Jammu and Kashmir. Following the abrogation of Article 370, the former state of Jammu and Kashmir was reorganized into two Union Territories – Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. Consequently, Ladakh no longer has a separate Lok Sabha constituency.
